As long as you’re not doing something you dislike, you should give 100% to whatever you are doing. Notice this doesn’t mean only go all in for things you love. It’s too hard to know what counts. This means you should do anything you don’t dislike with everything you’ve got. There are three primary reasons for this (though many more as well).

First, you’ll do everything better when you do it to the best of your ability and don’t let yourself off the hook with a less than full effort. Your time is too valuable to spend it doing something but not really doing it. Get results.

Second, you will be many times happier and more fulfilled if you give your all to the things you do. Every one of us has this nagging feeling of self-doubt and unease when we’re kind of taking it easy with work, activities, etc. When you’re pushing yourself, you feel pride. It’s a good feeling.

Third, pouring yourself into what you’re doing now is the best way to increase the likelihood of finding and succeeding at what you’ll do next. Opportunities come to people who get stuff done and with passion. Skills are acquired and networks built by those who get stuff done. It’s not just for now but for what’s next that you should pour yourself into the now.

Read “Work Smart, Not Hard” is the Worst Advice in the World

Read Self-Esteem is Earned

Watch Gary Vaynerchuk’s Success Secret: Hard Work

Watch Robert Greene on Mastery

• Make a list of three current responsibilities or commitments that are important to you. For each of those items on your list, identify two ways you can improve your performance or productivity. Do those two things every day this week and journal your results.

1. Is working hard incompatible with working smart?
2. What does it mean to work smart? What does it mean to work hard?
3. What are some of the benefits of working hard? What are some benefits of working smart?
4. How is self-esteem developed?
5. Why is talent sometimes overrated?
6. What is mastery? How is mastery developed?
7. What do you think of the concept of overnight success?