A. Lou Vickery Quote on Going Above and Beyond and The Power of Marginal Gains

“Four short words sum up what has lifted most successful individuals above the crowd: a little bit more. They did all that was expected of them and a little bit more.”

A. Lou Vickery

Beyond the Quote (315/365)

Doing what is expected of you is already a step ahead of many. Many people aren’t disciplined, focused, motivated, or committed enough to do even that—they fall short for various reasons. Whether it be bad habits, distractions, lack of will, or even just a carelessness—completing all of the tasks that are presented to them can be demanding enough. However, with the proper external motivations, systems, and consequences in place, most people can manage to do at least the minimum of what is expected of them and are usually good to settle with that. But, doing just what is expected of you isn’t what’s going to get you ahead.

It’s crazy to think anything otherwise. If minimum is the output that most produce, then it should be no surprise that this is where most people end up—with the most other people. Common practice leads to common result. But, as mentioned above, sometimes common can already be quite demanding so it’s important to note that there’s nothing wrong with common! After all, why do more than what you’re expected to do? You did your job—now it’s time to move on to other things. You finished your responsibilities, now it’s time to relax. And the fault in this thinking, of course, is thinking that there’s a fault in this thinking. If common is what you want, then common is what you should practice.

But, on the same note, don’t sit there and complain that you aren’t getting uncommon returns. Uncommon returns are reserved for those who put in uncommon efforts. Common, “minimum,” “just enough,” efforts don’t get to complain that they’re not getting more, learning more, or becoming more. When you put minimum in, expect minimum back out—in all areas of life. Period. Life doesn’t take the lead. You have to take the lead in your life. Life only reciprocates back.

And what’s so profound about the quote above is that it makes the formula for growth so ridiculously easy to follow. And that is the beauty in the strategy. Most people try to do too much and/or complicate the process. And while it’s true that massive action will lead to massive results—it’s only sustained action that leads to sustained results. And that is the component that most people miss—and why so many end up burning out from their “above and beyond” efforts.

Just do a little bit more. Do a little bit more when you finish your tasks at work. Do a little bit more at the end of your workout session. Do a little bit more for your friends than they do for you. Do a little bit more to help the environment. Do a little bit more to keep your family united and on good terms. Do a little bit more to spread love and kindness. Do a little bit more for yourself after a long day. And don’t be fooled. A little bit more, when carried out over an extended period of time, can yield surprisingly high returns.

Let’s take a look at how two situations might play out over the course of a year. If you continue to do the minimum of what’s expected of you and nothing more, then after a year, you’ll end up relatively the same: 1³⁶⁵= 1. However, if you choose to do even just 1% more, every day, over the course of the year, you’ll end up exponentially better as a result: 1.01³⁶⁵= 37.78! In this basic example, you’re looking at a theoretical 37x gain!

Now, imagine what a 37x gain might look like in every other area of your life. Imagine where you might be in your career if you followed this principle. Think about how your relationships might look. Think about how this would affect your household and your ability to keep everything in order. Think about your health and fitness. It’s a powerful thought. And it’s a much more practical thought than always trying to torture yourself with massive action. Better to choose sustainability over sprint. Better to choose practicality over complexity. Better to choose a little bit more over the 1% less that’s coming from the rest.

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