Raising your standards is a component of the environment.
If your standards are the bare minimum of what's expected, then don't expect a whole hell of lot in return. It's up to you to raise your standards and what you're level of expectations of your own work is. Keep in mind, when it is your own work, if you work for somebody else or if you own the company. It's got your name on it. That's your working reputation. If you're going to sign your name on something then you should make it something you're proud of and something that you can stand back and say, "Yes, I did that." If not then maybe you should think about raising your standards.
There shouldn't be phoning it in work or junk work or work just to get it done. Many years ago I actually had somebody tell me, "I'm only paid X amount of dollars, so I'm only going to do that X quality work." Well how the fuck does that work? If that's the standard that they're going to set for themselves, then that's all they're ever going to be compensated.
They'll actually be compensated less over time or they'll be let go because who is to say what they feel their quality produced is really worth. Most of the time it's worthless than they think it is - so under what they are being compensated.
If you're getting paid X amount of dollars and you can do the quality of work and standard of work that produces twenty percent more then why are you not doing so? There is nothing good than comes from knowing you are producing less than your best. Think about it for a minute.
If you always strive to do your best then will your best NOT increase with the more work you do?
By doing less you are essentially telling yourself you want to be worth less and suck more. If you're the owner of the company and think this way, what do you think your worth is going to be to the marketplace or with those you lead?
People need to take pride in what they stamp their own name on. That's a reflection of them. I don't think people take enough time to really think about that.
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