Going Beyond the Minimum Due

Going Beyond the Minimum Due

So often in life we find ourselves “just getting by.” The mere fact that we survived the day checking off our to-do list makes us feel accomplished. But at the same time when we only doing what is expected of us or what is on the daily to-do list, we find ourselves living life very cyclically. We don’t give ourselves new “to-do’s” because we are so busy with the regular “to-do’s” and thus we deter ourselves from other opportunities that could boost our confidence or create even more happiness for us.

When we just do enough to “get by” we are cheating ourselves. 

Take for example a student in school. The assignment calls for a 3 page paper on some topic in psychology. She completes the assignment at 9pm the night before it is due. She gets it done. She feels she “got over on this one.”  Or, the co-worker who does his job duties, but never is willing to take on an extra project because it isn’t something he “has” to do.

Both these scenarios have one thing in common. A person who is getting done what is “expected” of them and has a reason why they can’t or won’t go above that ceiling. An expectation provides a minimum due, if you will. But, doing what is expected doesn’t always lead to fulfillment and happiness. So, while you feel you may have “one upped” the professor or the boss, you actually cheated yourself.

While the girl in school did get her assignment done on time, she waited until the last minute and thus doesn’t have time to read additional research that could steer her future career field into something even more exciting that she had never heard about. Going beyond in her assignments may help her to achieve a higher honor roll and consequently get scholarships or peak the interest of her professor in offering her a study aboard opportunity that could lead her to more doors once she graduates.

The co-worker who does what he is supposed to and never puts himself in a position where he can head up a group project and show his leadership skills is also cheating himself at times. By showing off his leadership skills he might find that he boosts his own confidence which in turn helps him grow in other areas of his life. Going above what is expected of him might peak the interest of a boss who offers him a raise or promotional opportunity that trickles into his family life in a positive way.

The reality is, doing what is expected will get you by. 

But if you want more than a cyclical life, more than someone who checks off the same to-do’s and “gets by” you have to do more than the bare minimum. Whoever you aspire to be someday will require you to go beyond the minimum due.

Dr. Jaime Kulaga is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Motivational Speaker. She is the author of "The SuperWoman's Guide to Super Fulfillment: Step-by-Step Strategies to Create Work-Life Balance." She is the inspirational founder of the nationally known SuperWoman Workshops. Dr. Kulaga has been featured internationally for her expertise in Work-Life Balance. http://www.mindfulrehab.com