You should strive for excellence in everything you do. If a task is handed to you, no matter how small your salary may be or how little you like it, give it your best. Don’t do a careless, half-hearted job and expect applause. People are watching. Even in silence, they are observing the quality of your work, and if you show diligence and consistency, demand for your expertise and experience will come in abundance. But if you’re sloppy and unserious, those same people will speak against you, and they’ll do it in places where your voice cannot reach.
As one of my lecturers would often remind me: you will not be present when they discuss you in the corridors of power. You won’t be there to defend yourself, to explain, or to add context. All that will stand in your place is the evidence of your work: whether excellent, average, or disgraceful. And if it’s disgraceful, forget everything I’ve said. There’ll be no help for you. None.
