Taking the Extra Mile
“If you’re always trying to be normal you will never know how amazing you can be.”
Taking the extra mile isn’t just about doing more — it’s about looking at what you’re doing now and thinking, “What if I took this up a notch?” It’s about stepping out of what’s safe and seeing how far you can really go. Think about it — why just learn to play the piano when you could aim to give a concert? Why network when you could build a real, deep friendship? Why just pitch an idea when you could bring a fully-formed solution to the table? It’s not about doing more work for the sake of it; it’s about seeing where a little extra effort can take you.
Let me tell you about my friend Chandhana. She’s the kind of person who doesn’t just stop at “good enough.” When she was given a basic school project — study how memory works — she could have taken the easy route: notes, a slideshow, done. But she went way beyond that. Instead of just turning in a paper, she wrote and published a book. A whole book. And then she sold it to others. Imagine turning a simple assignment into something that not only teaches you but impacts other people, too.
Chandhana didn’t just stop there. She didn’t just break a school record — she set her sights on breaking a Guinness World Record for the most hula hoop rotations on her shoulders. It took months of practice and determination, but she made it happen. That’s what I mean when I say taking the extra mile. It’s not about exhausting yourself — it’s about using your creativity and drive to turn the ordinary into something remarkable.
If something is worth doing, it’s worth overdoing — Mick Jagger,
But here’s where things get tricky. Sometimes, what looks like going the extra mile can actually be exploitation, a byproduct of a larger capitalistic narrative that subtly — and sometimes not so subtly — takes advantage of the fundamental human desire to create and excel. Modern times often glorifies overwork and hustle culture, where doing more is equated with being more valuable, more worthy. This narrative thrives on the idea that your worth is directly tied to your productivity, and it convinces people to push themselves endlessly, not for their own growth, but for someone else’s profit.
It’s easy to fall into this trap, especially when you’re naturally driven to succeed or when you’re passionate about what you do. You might think you’re just putting in extra effort, but in reality, you’re being pushed beyond your limits by external forces — employers, institutions, even societal expectations — that care more about what they can extract from you than about your personal growth or well-being. This is where the danger lies: when your hard work no longer serves your own development, but rather feeds into a system that doesn’t necessarily have your best interests at heart.
What’s worse is that this exploitation often disguises itself as opportunity. The rhetoric of “just one more project” or “this extra effort will pay off eventually” can sound appealing, even motivating. But over time, this constant pushing without any real personal benefit leads to burnout, a condition where you’re emotionally, mentally, and physically drained. And here’s the hard truth: burnout doesn’t happen because you’re not capable or strong enough — it happens because you’re pouring your energy into something that isn’t reciprocating or nourishing your growth.
In a world that constantly asks for more, it’s crucial to step back and ask, “More for whom?” It’s one thing to push yourself because you have a personal goal or passion you’re striving toward, because you want to evolve and explore your potential. In those cases, the hard work feels worth it, even energizing. You’re growing, learning, and moving closer to something meaningful. But it’s entirely different when that extra push is imposed by someone else’s agenda, when your labor benefits others disproportionately while leaving you depleted.
This is where we have to be careful. It’s essential to know your own limits, to recognize when the effort you’re putting in is no longer aligned with your values or your own sense of fulfillment. Doing more should feel like it’s expanding your world, helping you discover new strengths or passions. It should never feel like you’re losing yourself in the process.
“Do not try to change your duty for that of another, do not neglect your work for that of another, no matter how noble it may seem. You are here to discover your own path and dedicate yourself to it with body and soul.”
The Buddha (Dhammapada)
Ultimately, real growth is about intention. It’s about making choices that align with who you are and what you value, rather than being swept up in a culture that measures your worth by how much you produce. Striving for excellence should be a personal journey, not one that is commodified. When you work with purpose and care for your well-being, you’re truly going the extra mile. But when that purpose is hijacked for someone else’s gain, it’s no longer growth — it’s the exploitation of one of the purest and most meaningful human qualities: the desire to create something beautiful.
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” — Steve Jobs
