Mark Cuban, with his track record of business success and numerous investments in startups, possesses valuable insights into achieving high levels of success. According to him, there is a key trait that aspiring individuals should prioritize.
In a recent LinkedIn video post by entrepreneur and VC investor Randall Kaplan, Cuban emphasized, “The one thing in life you can control is your effort.” According to the 64-year-old entrepreneur, being willing to put in the effort provides a significant competitive advantage because many people overlook this aspect.
Cuban elaborated that putting in effort goes beyond fulfilling basic requirements; it involves proactively solving problems and taking initiative beyond the regular responsibilities of a job. This commitment means exhaustively exploring every possible option to find solutions.
He noted that this quality is somewhat rare, distinguishing between those who follow instructions precisely and those who lack attention to detail. For Cuban, individuals who only focus on the assigned tasks without considering broader possibilities are not suitable candidates for employment with him.
Cuban’s advice is straightforward: “Don’t apply for a job with me” if you are not willing to go the extra mile.
These insights from Cuban come at a time when there is a growing movement known as “quiet quitting,” where employees resist being overworked, underpaid, and given limited opportunities for advancement. This movement suggests that individuals should stick to the tasks they are paid for without taking on additional responsibilities.
Despite this trend, Cuban’s perspective aligns with other employers who highly value effort and problem-solving skills in the workplace. Job postings frequently require “analytical thinking” as a crucial soft skill, and a significant portion of company executives worldwide believe that employees who do not go the extra mile may face challenges in success and job security.
For Cuban, the emphasis on effort is personal, as he built his career by strategically analyzing where he could maximize his rewards. Contrary to the common advice to follow one’s passion, Cuban highlights the importance of evaluating where one invests their time. As he stated in a 2018 video, “The things I ended up being really good at were the things I found myself putting effort into.”
Source: cnbc.com