"You work hard. You show up. You do the thing. And yet something feels off. Maybe you're earning less than your friends. Maybe your results don't match your effort. Maybe you've been coasting without realizing it. Underperformance creeps in quietly. It disguises itself as comfort, routine, and "just fine." But left unchecked, it compounds into years of missed potential. Here's how to spot the signs and make changes before 2026 passes you by."
"You've heard that you're the average of the five people you spend most time with. So don't lower the average. If your friends are more successful than you, figure out what they're doing. Ask for their help. You want to be in a team of winners, not letting the side down. Maybe you avoid comparing yourself because it feels uncomfortable. Make strategic comparison your ally."
Consistent hard work can still yield underperformance when outcomes lag effort, earnings, or growth. Underperformance often appears as comfort, routine, or 'just fine' and accumulates into years of missed potential. Common signs include being the weakest performer among peers, seeing no meaningful change over several years, and slow improvement in revenue, clients, output, or energy. Strategic comparison with higher-performing peers, asking for specific advice, and immediately applying it can close gaps. Study and emulate successful people, target concrete deficits, and prioritize continual evolution in earnings, quality of life, and daily routines to avoid stagnation.
Read at Forbes
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