The restaurant industry is infamous for its high turnover. Employees come and go every month, sometimes every week. After a decade of operating my restaurant, I interviewed, trained, and let go of hundreds of people.

People from different ages, from different nationalities, from different skin colors, from different backgrounds. There were very few who always did the best they could.

The majority of people, especially in entry-level jobs at a restaurant, only put in the minimum effort required to avoid being fired. Most didn’t want to be team players; they just wanted to grab their phones, go to the bathroom, or take a break as soon as they completed a task.

It was hard to find good employees—people who genuinely wanted to learn and actually did their best. A-players, as they call them, were rare. This was probably the main problem I faced, despite having a great company culture and paying more than competitors. The turnover was exhausting.

Nobody likes having a teammate who just does things half-heartedly and isn’t willing to lend a helping hand. It’s like playing soccer or football or basketball with a teammate who doesn’t run after the ball.

Instead, everyone likes having colleagues who push themselves to learn, grow, and help others around them. People who try to make work easier not just for themselves, but for everyone. People who have a positive attitude towards work.

Those were the people I always looked for, and when I found them, I made sure to show my appreciation because it is a rare quality.

That’s what you should always try to be: someone who does their best, puts effort into the task at hand, approaches work with a good attitude, and appreciates others who also work hard.

Leave it all on the field. Put in total effort. Do the best you know how.