The 'Not My Job' mindset that's costing you millions
Why doing what no one asked you to do is the fastest path to business and career success.
Hey, quick story.
When 31-year-old zookeeper Atapon Nundee walked into his job interview, he wasn’t in a position of power. He spent the past six months in a contract role at Thailand’s Khao Kheow Open Zoo and was looking for permanent employment.
If you’ve ever been in that place where you have to “re-audition” to secure your job, you’ll understand the pressure.
You want to prove yourself without coming on too strong.
Most candidates play it safe:
“I’ll work hard.”
“I’ll follow instructions.”
“I’ll support the team.”
Atapon didn’t play it safe.
When zoo director Narongwit Chotchoy asked what he could contribute to the zoo’s future, Atapon made a statement that sounded completely ridiculous.
He said,“I’m going to make this zoo famous.”
The director smiled. Maybe amused.
Defintely skeptical! But, the line stuck.
Atapon wasn’t bluffing. After securing the role, and following the birth of a pygmy hippo named Moo Deng, he quietly got to work.
He launched a Facebook page called Ka Moo & The Gang, posting short, daily updates about the animals.
The internet took notice.
Moo Deng went viral across TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram, and people began rerouting their travel plans just to visit her.
(including me).
In just 19 days, the zoo brought in 13 million baht (around $363,000 USD) in ticket sales. Merchandise, licensing deals, and product partnerships are projected to generate $4.3 million USD this month.
All sparked by a zookeeper who decided to do something outside of his job description (you won’t find “make a hippo famous” on any position description, obvs).
But it’s a powerful reminder:
Some of the most valuable contributions we make, in both work and life, are the ones no one formally assigns us. The ones that don’t exist yet. The ones we create.
As Wayne Dyer wrote,
“It’s never crowded along the extra mile.”
Here’s why I love this story so much
I think I’m obsessed with this story because it’s not just about a viral hippo it’s about, as my friend
coined, a non-linear breakthrough. It’s proof that real impact rarely comes from following the straight path, ticking the boxes, or staying in your lane.Atapon didn’t succeed doing what was expected of him.
He tried a completely different approach, with zero certainty it would work.
That’s what I love - the guts to back a wild idea.
The road to Work Fame is rarely on the map. You can’t Google, or Chat GPT it.
And that’s exactly why it works.
The path to career moments no one assigns you
What Atapon did reveals a pattern I’ve seen in some of the most remarkable careers and businesses. It goes like this:
Peripheral vision: He noticed a moment others didn’t. It’s an instinct to look wider than your role. If you play sports like football, basketball or netball, you’re actually trained to look for opportunities across the pitch/field/court, not just to see what’s ahead of you (fun fact: When you're stressed, your visual field literally narrows, it's called tunnel vision.)
Consistent, small actions. No grand launch. Just a phone, a story, and daily posts that built a connection. Welcome to 2025, honestly, what a time to be alive! We all have an opportunity to make this impact from a handheld device.
Ownership. He didn’t say, “Someone should market this hippo.” He said, “I will.” And then he did.
If you want extraordinary results, you can’t just tick the tasks off your job description. You have to seek out these opportunities, and back yourself enough to take them seriously.
Btw, this isn’t just for employees.
Leaders, If you have a team member with an absurd idea, entertain it. Be curious. Don’t shut it down immediately.
If you’re a founder or solopreneur, it matters even more.
No one’s going to assign you the project that grows your reach.
They’re not going to tell you, “Hey, that framework you casually mentioned on a call? Turn that into a keynote.”
You have to notice your own gold and start making it visible.
At times, it doesn’t feel easy to do this. I go through moments where I second-guess it all. Why? Well, the extra mile feels uncertain. Possibly even foolish. When you take on work no one asked you to do, there’s no guarantee of recognition.
You constantly ask yourself, “Is this worth it?”.
Also: Who knows, you’ll probably fail, too (and fail publicly… Horror! Although a good reminder of this, is that no one actually cares).
How to apply this in your work or business
Whether you're an employee or founder, the formula remains the same:
Spot the overlooked opportunity. What part of your work has untapped potential? What could become remarkable with consistent attention? Widen your vision.
Take ownership without permission. Begin. Don’t wait for someone else to assign it (boring!)
Create a sustainable routine. Daily action compounds more than most people expect.
Work in public. Don’t just do the work, let people connect to the story behind it by sharing the messy middle.
Persist through silence. The best ideas often start with zero feedback. Keep going anyway.
🦛
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New to Work Fame?
Here are some helpful articles for you.
I’d love to hear from you:
Respond in the comments:
→ What project could become a turning point, if you took it seriously?
(or maybe a better question is: Did you fall in love with Moo Deng, too?)
🌴
Leanne “rewatching my Moo Deng videos” Hughes
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P.P.S. If this made you smile, sparked an idea, or got you thinking, tap the heart icon 💙. It helps me know what’s hitting home.
I’ve never really understood the ‘not my job’ mindset. But I’ve come to realize that people have different reasons for how they show up at work. Being good at something isn’t always about personal pride or passion.
For some, it’s just about collecting a paycheck. For others, it’s the relationships that matter more than the actual tasks. Motivation varies, and it’s not always about the work itself.