Excellence and overperformance (which are not the same thing) are dangerous in the short term but good bets in the long run. Yes, it's more virtuous and feels b

Excellence and overperformance (which are not the same thing) are dangerous in the short term but good bets in the long run. Yes, it's more virtuous and feels better to do a good job, I agree. It's almost certainly better for your career in the long run to do things well. If you, however, absolutely cannot afford to lose a regular income, your best bet is to manage your performance to the middle. I'm not saying, "you should intentionally suck at your job". That would be a depressing and horrible way to live. I'm saying that society does not always reward doing the right thing. Having a child might motivate you to think about the future, or regain faith in progress and the world, or start taking hard work serious, and that's great. It might also make you so terrified of getting fired that you stop trying to excel and cease advancing. I've seen both.