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At an old job, I worked with a person I had been following for years and whose work I deeply admired. He’s not much older than I am, and we had worked in similar-ish jobs, but he just seemed so much better than I was at the time.

After a few months of working with him, it became obvious why that was: A crazy work ethic and drive, yes, but he had figured out what to do and how to react in situations that would’ve left me stumped. It seemed like he had a playbook for every scenario, and the next move was automatic. (He’s still freakishly good at his job, and we’re still friends, if you’re wondering.)

The people at the top of any given field didn’t get there just by working hard. Yes, hard work is necessary, but just as important is being smart about the work you’re doing, and focusing on doing the things that will help you improve.