On a daily basis, we make thousands of decisions. Should I hit snooze? Should I go to the gym? Should I go out tonight? I’ve realized, generally, the harder decision is the right decision. There will always be smarter or more capable people, but there is one great equalizer, which in my opinion truly determines success: work ethic. It’s rare to see people with a terrible work ethic succeed (unless your last name happens to be Kardashian). 
We’ve all heard the saying “go the extra mile”, but what does it actually mean? It means sacrificing for the greater good. We all can go out 5 nights a week and BS our work, but that just means you do not have your eyes on the end goal. The easiest way to get recognized by your peers, colleagues, and family is by going that extra mile, because that extra mile is a very lonely place. But why is the extra mile such an unpopulated destination? The answer is that most people do not see the purpose in exceeding expectations. It saddens me as to how many people I see not living up to their full potential. Do not just listen to orders and complete tasks; take initiative and work on projects that no one else knows you are working on. My great friend Robert told me something a while ago that really stuck with me. He said that most people do not realize how easy it is to fail. Right now we are in the most crucial years of development when it comes to our lives and careers. So, I implore you, please take full advantage of this time period and make some sacrifices for the greater good.
Here’s a tip: do something that no one else is doing. This separates you from the crowd, and gives you a lot more visibility. Offer to give lectures, work on things you are interested in for free (if that’s what it takes), and, most of all, make sure the relationships you have with your superiors are great. Always offer them a helping hand, and try and figure out what they need help with…then just do it. Sure these things are hard, and I never said it was easy. But if you live your life like this, over time it will make you incredibly successful. Absolutely anything is possible, people. Right now the world is ours, but it’s up to us as to whether or not we want it.