Stop Giving 110%: Why 100% Done Right Is All You’ll Ever Need
Stop chasing the mythical 110% — master your real 100% and leave the burnout bullshit behind.
We’ve all heard it, right?
That bullsh*t battle cry: “Give me 110%!”
Usually bellowed by someone with veins popping out of their forehead, like they’re auditioning for a motivational poster.
Usually shouted by a sweaty coach, an overzealous boss, or that one coworker who drinks seven espressos before 9 a.m. (I’m looking at you, Derek!).
Like suddenly, you’re going to unlock some secret energy vault usually reserved for emergencies — like outrunning a bear or grabbing the last sausage roll at Greggs before the lunchtime rush.
But let me ask you this: If 110% is your all, then your 100% was a lie.
A comfortable, easy-to-swallow, self-preserving lie.
Where the hell is the extra 10% coming from?
Are you borrowing it from your future self?
Because that poor bastard’s going to be knackered!
The real problem with “110%”
Let’s face it: the “110%” mantra is a giant, steaming pile of motivational bullshit.
If someone brags about giving 110%, it just means their 100% was slacking.
Think about it.
If you could magically summon more energy, focus, or effort beyond your “all,” doesn’t that mean your “all” was a bit half-arsed?
Take my workouts.
In the moment, I feel like I’m auditioning for my own funeral, death is circling the block, waiting for me to keel over.
I’m there, sweat pouring like Niagara Falls, lungs screaming for air like I’ve just climbed Everest on roller-skates, regretting my life choices.
I convince myself I’m at my limit — then I push just a little further, and suddenly I’m a human rocket, finishing stronger than I started.
When I’m done, I look back and think, “That wasn’t so bad.” But that’s hindsight gaslighting me.
Sound familiar?
You’ve been there too, haven’t you? Where you’re sure you’ve got nothing left, and yet, somehow, you pull off one more set or rep — like a bloody superhero.
In the moment, I think I’m giving every ounce of energy.
Could I push harder?
Sure.
But that doesn’t mean I’ve got some magical reserve tank.
It means I’m lying to myself about what my “all” really is.
The cross-country revelation
When I was 12, I ran a cross-country race.
Halfway through, I was convinced my legs were about to fall off and crawl away without me.
I was dead on my feet, dragging myself along like a zombie who’d forgotten his life purpose.
But then — there it was — the finish line!
And from somewhere, some magical, adrenaline-fuelled pit inside me, I found an extra gear.
I sprinted past other runners like my arse was on fire.
It was like I was being chased by a pack of rabid wolves.
Where the hell was that energy 10 minutes ago?
I overtook kids who’d been miles ahead of me.
Did I tap into some mystical “110%”?
No.
I just directed every last ounce of energy I had left, at the one thing that mattered: finishing.
The goal was clear.
We’ve all got that reserve tank.
The problem?
We wait for it to kick in rather than realising it’s there all along.
Why do we hold back?
Sometimes, it’s fear.
I get that.
I’ve spent years trying to stay under the radar.
If I don’t stand out, no one will notice me, right?
But that fear is just another layer of bullshit.
It’s like wrapping yourself in bubble wrap to avoid getting hurt — safe, sure, but absolutely no fun at parties.
Other times, it’s external pressure…
The burnout trap
Fast-forward to my adult life.
There was a time when I thought I was giving “110%” at work — hell, at the time, I thought I was giving 150%, if you asked my over-caffeinated, sleep-deprived self.
My boss kept piling on tasks like I was some sort of stress-fuelled, emotionless, robot.
And guess what?
It broke me.
I hit a wall so hard, I took six months off, riddled with stress and anxiety.
Giving 100% doesn’t just drain you; it screws you over long-term.
Because while you’re busy running on fumes, life is busy smacking you in the face with a frying pan.
Burnout doesn’t happen because you’re giving too little; it happens because you’re giving too much to everything.
Life doesn’t reward you for running on fumes — it slaps you with a frying pan and dares you to try again.
I cracked.
That was the darkest time of my life.
I was convinced I’d failed.
Convinced I had to do something drastic to end the misery.
I didn’t think I had anything left to give, but looking back, I know I was running on fumes long before I hit my breaking point.
I wasn’t at 100%.
Hell, I was barely at 10%.
I was spent.
I had no more to give.
Dark thoughts.
Dark times.
Dark weather.
Dark life.
Digging Into the reserve tank
If there’s one thing my dad taught me, it’s this: if you’re going to do something, do it properly.
And I was properly broken.
Properly fucked!
All in or not at all.
And that lesson?
It’s stayed with me.
When life gets messy — and trust me, my life has been a fucking shit show at times — I’ve learned to dig deep.
Take my mum and dad’s funerals.
They were supposed to be about saying goodbye, honouring their legacy.
But no.
My brothers —like rabid raccoons on crystal meth — turned it into a full-blown EastEnders episode.
There I was, trying to grieve, and instead, I’m separating fights, picking up ears and mopping up blood.
I had to pull strength from somewhere — strength I didn’t know I had — to hold it all together.
Because someone had to.
That’s the reserve tank.
It’s there when you need it most, but you don’t have to wait for chaos to tap into it.
What 100% done right looks like
Here’s the truth: Your 100% is enough, but only if you do it right.
That means:
Focussing on what matters most.
Being honest about your limits and not being the office doormat.
Prioritising quality over quantity.
When I was a kid playing football, I had moments where everything just clicked.
I wasn’t trying to do more than I could handle; I was just laser-focussed on what mattered — whether it was dribbling past defenders or landing the perfect pass.
That’s what happens when you give 100% the right way.
It feels effortless because it’s efficient.
You’re not a robot
Let me remind you: You’re human.
You’re not a bloody robot designed to churn out endless productivity.
You weren’t designed to run on coffee and guilt while smashing through endless to-do lists.
Life isn’t about burning yourself out to prove a point.
It’s about knowing when to push, when to rest, and when to say, “That’s enough for today.”
How to hit your real 100%
Stop Bullsh*tting Yourself.
If you think you’re at your limit, you’re probably not.
Your body, your mind — they’ll go further if you make them.
But you have to balance this with not burning yourself out.
You can’t give 100% all the time, you’ll burn yourself out.Embrace Discomfort.
Growth doesn’t happen in your comfort zone.
It happens when you’re sweating, crying, or cursing yourself for taking on that stupid Diploma (just me?).
But learn to listen to your body, your mind.
There’s a difference between pushing yourself to grow and pushing yourself to the brink.
Give your all in short bursts and know when to stop.Find Your Why.
My why is my parents and my wife and kids.
My parents clawed their way out of poverty so I could have a better life.
Every time I feel like giving up, I think about them and my family — and I push on.
What’s your why?Get Out of Your Own Way.
You’re your own worst enemy.
Stop tearing yourself down and start building yourself up.
The reality check
This isn’t about giving 110%.
That’s not real.
What’s real is looking at your 100% —what you think is everything — and realising you can push harder, dig deeper, and be better.
You don’t need to wait for a crisis or a finish line to find that extra gear.
It’s in you right now.
So, go on.
Prove yourself wrong.
Show the world what you’re really made of.
And when you do, laugh, cry, and bitch-slap yourself awake, because that is how you live 100%.
The takeaway
Stop chasing the myth of 110%.
Instead, redefine your 100%.
Focus your energy where it counts.
Stop spreading yourself thinner than budget toilet paper.
Give your all — your real all — to what matters and watch how much further you go. Just do it in short bursts.
When you commit to something, commit 100%.
When you need a break, commit 100%.
Try this: Pick one thing today to give your real 100%. Not 110%. Not ‘everything, everywhere, all at once.’ Just one thing. Do it right and see how it feels.
So, next time someone shouts, “Give me 110%!”, you can confidently reply, “No need. My 100% will blow your mind.”
