Hard work matters, but strategic effort matters more.

Workplace elites don't actually do everything, nor do they try to please everyone.

Give them ten tasks, and they'll likely focus on just three, deliberately coasting on the other seven from the start. (Apply the 80/20 rule: pour your energy into the most impactful work, do the bare minimum on the rest, and revisit only if time permits.)

Give them ten clients, and maybe only three will be satisfied; for the other seven, they never intended to deliver anyway.

It's better to sever one finger than to injure ten. It's more effective to land one client than to chase ten.

Effort matters, but strategic effort matters more.

That's the mindset for running a marathon.