They always say the grass is greener on the other side, but why don’t we just water our side’s grass a little more? We all want certain outcomes to come from the work we put in, but sometimes it seems as if we never really put in the amount of effort required to achieve that outcome. For some, it’s getting a B on that test you thought you studied so hard for. For others, it’s not seeing results during or after workouts when they think they’re pushing as hard as they can. Here’s my advice: work even harder. Hard work should never be an option.

Let’s go back to that example from earlier. Jennifer got an A on that test when you only got a B. She put in four hours of studying, you put in six. Here’s the difference between the two of you: she worked harder for those four hours. Rather than taking three snack breaks, getting on her phone every twenty minutes, and talking to that cute boy from down the hall, her face was in her book, highlighting key points and copying them down in her notes, and redoing it all over again to seal the information in. You may have put in more time, but her time was more valuable. Think about that the next time you reach for your phone while studying.

We all know that seeing results from working out isn’t a quick process. Whether you’re lifting, playing a sport, or just casually working out to stay fit, none of what you want to happen is going to happen until you push yourself to the limit. You and Johnny both ran six miles and then did abdominal workouts for twenty minutes. Yet, Johnny lost three pounds that week, while you only lost one. The difference here: Johnny is putting in work in and outside of the gym. For dinner after the workout, Johnny ate chicken and vegetables, while you ate spaghetti and Oreos. Hard work is never an option, but is subjective. You may have put in the same hard work as Johnny in the gym, but your out-of-the-gym work needs to be improved.

My point here is this: you can’t expect certain outcomes without putting in the hardest work you’ve got. Take that jealousy of Jennifer and Johnny and turn it into inspiration for next time. Truly work harder than them, and they might be the jealous ones next time. Sitting by and looking at pictures of physically fit people on Instagram or reading your friend’s post about making the Dean’s List is not putting in work. You cannot be jealous of someone until you’ve put in the same effort as them. Don’t ever be upset with the goals you didn’t achieve with the work you didn’t do.