This document discusses the concept of work and careers being centered around routine and mastery of routine tasks. It notes that for many jobs, the difference between normal and excellent performance is just a few percentiles, which can be achieved through long hours perfecting routines rather than true excellence. This leads to a lifestyle where workers have less time for themselves, their families, and self-improvement in order to earn more through doing more routine work. The document questions if a better approach is to do less routine work but provide more value, freeing up more time for one's personal life. It encourages readers to reflect on if their current work is fully utilizing their talents and to make changes if desired.