I Hit My Target, But They Said I Should Have ‘Gone Above and Beyond’

There’s nothing more frustrating than working yourself to the bone, only to hear that somehow, it’s still not enough.

So, there I was, three months deep into my new sales role. 

The KPI? Close 10 deals per month. The reward? A fat commission, a glowing performance review, and the respect of my peers. Or so I thought.

From day one, I grinded like my rent depended on it, because it did. I made endless cold calls, attended stressful client meetings, even followed up with leads at odd hours like a desperate situationship. And guess what? I did it.

10 solid deals. Locked. Signed. Delivered. I even threw in an 11th deal for good measure. I had done my part, and I was ready for my well-deserved reward.

Then came my performance review.

Boss: “You did well, but we were really hoping to see you go above and beyond.”

Me: “Above and beyond… how?”

Boss: “10 deals was the target, but we wanted to see who could exceed expectations. You just did what was required.”

Excuse me? JUST did what was required? The same 10 deals that kept me awake at night, sending emails with one eye open? The same 10 deals that made me develop anxiety whenever my phone rang? The same 10 deals that another team member didn’t even come close to achieving?

I sat there, struggling to process the audacity. Was I supposed to sacrifice my firstborn as a bonus deal?

And then, as if my blood pressure wasn’t already boiling, my boss hit me with:

"We need to see more initiative. More hunger. You have potential, but you need to push yourself."

Push myself to where? The afterlife?

I left that meeting empty-handed, bonus-less, and disrespected. Apparently, hitting your target isn’t enough. You must overachieve for the same paycheck, all while smiling like a fool.

Lesson learned? Next time, I’m doing the bare minimum with confidence.

Has this ever happened to anyone before? Because at this point, I need to know I’m not alone in this madness.

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