Here is an excerpt from an article written by Jeff Haden for LinkedIn. To read the complete article and check out others, please click here.

Photo: flickr user Jason Csizmadi

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Remarkable employees (here’s a link to how to tell if you are remarkable) spend significant time helping other people succeed: their company, their employees, their customers and vendors and suppliers…

But remarkable employees also spend a little time helping themselves succeed, both for “selfish” reasons and because their success creates success for others.

Want to stand out from the crowd? Want to stand out based on go, not show? Here are [two of six] great ways:

1. Be first, but with a purpose.

Many people try to be the first to arrive each day. That’s great, but what do you actually do with that time? Organize your thoughts? Get a jump on your email?

Instead of taking care of your stuff, do something visibly worthwhile for the company. Take care of unresolved problems from the day before. Set things up so it’s easier for other employees to hit the ground running when they come in. Chip away at an ongoing project others ignore.

Don’t just be the one who turns on or off the lights – be the one who gets in early or stays late in order to get things done. Not only will your performance stand out, you’ll also start to…

2. Master a specific — and valuable — skill.

Meeting standards, however lofty those standards may be, won’t help you stand out.

So go above the norm. Be the leader known for turning around struggling employees. Be the shipping manager who makes a few deliveries a week to personally check in with customers. Be the VP who promotes from within. Be known as the employee who responds quicker, acts faster, or always follows up.

Pick a worthwhile mission and then excel at that mission. I promise people will notice.

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I also write for Inc.com:

o 19 Things Remarkable People Think Every Day
o The Daily Habits of Exceptionally Happy People
o Simple Ways to Permanently Streamline Your Workday
o To Your Great Surprise, You May Already Be Living the Dream

If you liked this post, you’ll love my book based on four years of personal and professional advice — TransForm: Dramatically Improve Your Career, Business, Relationships, and Life — One Simple Step At a Time. (PDF version here, Kindle version here.)

While I could go all hyperbolic on you, here’s the deal: If after fifteen minutes you don’t find at least 5 things you can do to make your life better I’ll refund your money.

That way you have nothing to lose… and hopefully plenty to gain.

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Here’s a direct link to the complete article.

Jeff is a LinkedIn Influencer, ghostwriter, speaker, and Inc. Magazine Contributing Editor.