Play your role 110%. Once you really understand your role in any context, then your number one responsibility is to play that role to the absolute best of your ability. That means, contribute your very best thoughts, words, and actions. Put in more time and effort, not less. No matter what you do, do your best. No matter how lowly or mundane or repetitive or small your tasks and responsibilities might seem in relation to the overall mission, all YOU can do in this situation is play your role to the max. If you are digging ditches, be the most committed, hardest working, ditch digger with a great big smile on your face all day ever day.

Attitude matters, a lot. Effort matters, a lot.

Let me give you an example that is very close to my heart: We've been honored over the years to work with many fine people throughout many branches of the United States Armed Forces. Recently, I was spending time with the crew of a very important military aircraft. One of the crew members was explaining to me that his role on missions (which last as long as ten hours) is to lay face down in a window facing the ground in order to provide visual confirmation of the aircraft's electronic surveillance of the ground below.

I kept thinking what a grueling job this young Airman really had. For hours and hours at a time, he had to stay alert and focused and blink as little as possible. During a ten hour mission, there might only be a handful of incidents for which the Airman would actually need to take notice and take action.

I asked the young Airman if it's sometimes hard to stay alert and focused on the job. He responded, "Sir, I have no choice. The difference between me giving 99% or 110% could be the difference between life or death for me, for people on the ground, and for my crew." I got goose bumps when he said that.

The crew numbered thirteen. Each person played a narrow focused role. Yes there were pilots. Maybe they were the big shots on the plane. But it was a team. Every single member of that crew was absolutely critical to the safety and effective operation of the airplane and its mission. And every single one of them knew that they had no choice but to give 110% all the time because the work of every single role on that plane is a matter of life or death.

For your sake, I hope that every move you make at work is not a life or death matter. Still, if you want to succeed, you would do well to follow that young Airman's example. No matter what your current role is in your current job right now, play that role, 110%. At work, the value YOU bring to the table is playing your role 110%. If you really want to build on your role, grow your role, or get a better role, you need to bring your very best effort and very best attitude to your work every day. Dedicate yourself to your role all day long. Choose your thoughts, words, and actions very carefully all day long. Do more, do better, do it faster, all day long, 110%.