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100%

I don’t mind giving 100%, I thrive on it.  I’m not afraid of showing up fully, fiercely, without apology. I don’t half ass. I don’t ghost responsibility. Never have. I show up, do the work properly, and take ownership. I’ve been the one who stays late, who fixes problems before they escalate, who sees things through. Not because anyone forces me, but because that’s who I am. Because I care. Because my name’s on it and that means something to me.  I refuse to let my standards crumble just because others left theirs at the door.  

What exhausts me isn’t the effort, it’s watching that effort mean less in a system that rewards the bare minimum. Out here giving 100% in a system that rewards 10. Watching colleagues do the minimum required, coast, cut corners, clock out emotionally, disengage completely, yet still get treated the same as those carrying the team. Hearing “they’re just not as capable” used as justification for why the workload keeps shifting to those who won’t say no.

And it’s always the same cycle. You do great work? You get more work. You are consistent? You become invisible until they need something. You raise your hand? They start assuming you will catch whatever they drop. Meanwhile, others learn they can fade into the background, do just enough to not get fired, and somehow ends up with a lighter load, less scrutiny, and face no consequences for contributing less. Excellence is met with more work and silence, while mediocrity is met with leniency and praise, it sends a message, don’t try. Just survive.

This doesn’t just frustrate it corrodes. It teaches people that excelling leads to punishment, while mediocrity gets protected. That the reward for caring is more work, while indifference earns you an easier ride. Eventually, you start questioning why you bother. You question your own fire. You stop pushing. You stop stretching. You let someone else carry the weight, someone who still cares too much to let it fall. The burnout doesn’t come from the work.
It comes from the math. The math that says you’re giving everything, they’re giving scraps,
and somehow, you’re both sitting at the same table like it’s equal.

It’s not.

So no, I’m not tired of working hard. I’m tired of pretending we’re all held to the same standard. I’m tired of seeing people praised for simply for showing up while others are expected to perform miracles daily or are punished for making it look easy. This isn’t about keeping score, it’s about basic fairness.


If you want my full commitment, my 100%, create a culture where effort is seen, valued, and matched. Where high performers aren’t punished for caring.  Don’t protect those who do the minimum while overloading those who are holding the line.  Build an environment where high performers aren’t exploited to compensate for those who can’t be bothered. I’ll never apologize for expecting better, not just for me, but for everyone who shows up and gives a damn. I’m not shrinking myself to make other people’s laziness feel comfortable.

Not anymore.

ღ Chi

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