How much am I responsible for? What is the minimum I get away with doing?
The truth is: very little.
Don’t do the minimum. Do a little more.
If each kid only picks up the LEGOs that he left out, my floor soon becomes impassible. But if they all do a little more, they can always find a place to play.
If my ensemble strikes their sound system by each doing their assigned job and then standing around, it will take twice as long as if they jumped in and helped someone else coil a cable.
Choir directors who want outstanding music-making don’t look at clock hours; the ones I know don’t do the minimum they can get away with, they do the maximum they can survive.
Performers who give the bare minimum on a gig aren’t likely to be asked back for a second one.
Success goes to individuals who ask other questions than the one at the start of this post. Our society’s success depends on members contributing more than the minimum. The future of our world will depend on us choosing to give more than we get.
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