Going the Extra Mile

Going the Extra Mile

Think different

Going the extra mile is a mental attitude which helps impress other, accelerate quickly through your career and develop real value. It is about performing at the highest level in everything you do. You have to make this attitude your personal trademark. Every time you perform a task you have to be truly obsessed about the quality of what you deliver. Going extra mile is a way of thinking you need to develop in order to achieve success in everything that you do. Obviously, in some cases it will not be quite possible to achieve the quality you managed in the past, but remember, it is the attitude that counts. In short words, you should be a perfectionist.

Think different : Think different is an advertising slogan created by Apple Computer Inc. in 1997. Indeed, it is not easy to think outside of the box, but it is worth trying.

In an interview with Peter Burrows in Bloomberg Businessweek, in 2004, Steve Jobs said: We, Apple, do things where we feel we can make a significant contribution. That’s one of my other beliefs”.

For Apple it was possible to think differently from the beginning because the company base its own success on innovative technology. In everyday life, however, there are so many occasions for identifying new ideas that it is worth trying. Taking the initiative means improving the way you work and starting something on your own. If you sell electronic devices, for instance, try to offer something new and unexpected.

Candor in business – or in any kind of organization – is a rare and wondrous thing (Jack Welch). Illustration: © Megan Jorgensen (Elena)

You should always challenge with candor. Challenging with candor should first start from a personal perspective – challenge yourself to improve your own understanding of your tasks and of the people around you. Ultimately try to understand yourself better.

Having a candid attitude toward every subject and applying it to any conversation ultimately leads to improvement.

Every time things are not clear, try to ask yourself “the reason why” and look for the answer. This will enable you to produce a mental shift.

Sometimes you do a great job, but people are so busy that they don’t notice you. Therefore you need to make your efforts interesting. Be ready thus to use every opportunity to do so. Arrive early at the office, leave after your manager and cook something special for your family this Sunday.

Keep in mind that the law of compensation states that everything you do will come back amplified to you in the future. Therefore, every time you want to benefit from this law you have to give in the first place, without worrying about the intermediate outcome of your actions.

Find a metric to measure how your efforts are reimbursed. It may be the consideration of your friends, the preference of your customers, your salary and so on. Give more in the first place and be ready to see the results.

Going the extra mile consists of creating something so unique and high quality that everybody will recognize it and be glad to pay for it, making you more money.