Going the Extra Mile
by Ken Kadow
I have had many teachers during my school time. Many of them I don't remember anymore, but one Geography teacher taught me and my colleagues a lesson I will never forget.
He was very committed with his teaching and much more committed about the assignments he gave us. Every time some student would deliver his homework assignment to him, he wouldn't read it without asking: "Is this the best you can do?" Nine out of ten times the student would take it back and deliver it the next day, with his improvements. And then the teacher would ask again: "Is this the best you can do?" No matter how many times you would take it back, the teacher would not read it until you said confidently: "Yes, this is the best I can do".
That behavior made an impression on me, that he would not accept anything from his students other than the best they can deliver. That was the cornerstone of the "going the extra mile" concept in my mind. But what is that concept and how to achieve it?
Going the extra mile, as Napoleon Hill describes it, is simply delivering more service, with better quality than asked, with a positive mental attitude. This formula, that he called QQMA (Quality, Quantity, Mental Attitude) is what steps one out from the crowd. A great number of people are willing to deliver less than required from them. Fewer people are willing to deliver just the amount of service they were asked for. But how many are willing to deliver more service, with better quality than they were required, plus, with a pleasant and positive posture? Not too many!! And this is one of the reasons why a person that goes the extra mile creates a great advantage for himself towards personal success.
Delivering more than required will raise your price tag, and people will notice that. If they don't, you will and you will require more from life than what you are getting now. It is a virtuous circle that will only begin with your action. In physics, it is harder to push an object if it is still than if it is already in motion. Same thing with us, it may require more effort to begin using the QQMA formula, but once you DO BEGIN, you will enter this realm where rendering more than what is asked for will be part of your Nature. And by doing so, the circle of virtuosity will expand more and more, bringing riches and success not only for you, but also for those around you, for they will receive more service, with more quality, with a positive mental attitude, and a formula to emulate for themselves.
The sand from your hourglass is running. Don't wait for the next hour, the next day, or the next week. Push yourself towards the riches you want and deserve, and start doing so NOW. Doing your job is good, doing more and in a great way is awesome, and only awesome can take you where your dreams are. Is this the best you can do?
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