In the U.S. business world, we’re often taught that going above and beyond is the key to success.
It’s how you get noticed.
How you gain visibility.
How you earn that promotion.
And sometimes, it works. But there’s a catch.
At first, you don’t get paid for that extra effort. Over time, something shifts. What started as “above and beyond” quietly becomes expected. And before long, you’re no longer exceeding expectations—you’re just meeting a new, unspoken baseline.
Worse, it becomes a habit. Even when you don’t have to push harder, you do.
This works—until it doesn’t.
Eventually, something changes:
- A high-priority project lands on your desk
- You’re covering for a teammate on leave
- Or your responsibilities grow because that visibility paid off
Now your actual workload—the work you’re paid to do—has increased.
And suddenly, you can’t keep doing the extra.
I remember the moment that really drove this home for me.
We had occasionally taken on rush requests in the past—squeezing them in when we had just enough room. It wasn’t frequent, but it happened often enough that it became part of the stakeholder’s expectations.
Then came a week where there was no extra room.
We were at full capacity. Deadlines were tight. The team was already stretched.
A request came in: a rush job.
This time, I said no, because we absolutely could not accommodate that request.
The reaction was immediate: Frustration. Pushback. Confusion.
“But you’ve done this before.” And that was the problem.
I explained that we were operating at our contractually agreed capacity—and that we were meeting every commitment.
The pushback didn’t stop.
So I repeated it.
Calmly. Clearly. Consistently.
We’re at capacity.
We’re delivering what we agreed to.
Taking this on would mean something else doesn’t get done.
Eventually, the conversation ended—not because they were happy, but because the facts didn’t change.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth:
The people who struggle most with your boundaries are often the ones who benefited when you didn’t have them.
And the even more uncomfortable truth? I helped create that expectation.
By saying yes when I didn’t have to…
By squeezing in “just one more”…
By letting the boundary slide…
I taught them what to expect.
Now, I approach it differently.
I’m clear about capacity.
I’m intentional about when we go above and beyond.
And I’m unapologetically protective of my team.
Because “above and beyond” should be a choice—not a permanent requirement.
What’s been your experience with this?