jack of all trades,master of none

hi...this is my first blog,hope you like it

Well...there is this thought which keeps coming to my mind....is hardwork the most important key to success?I personally have never believed in working hard especially if i am not enjoying the work at hand,i try to do what i like the most,ie,i go by the want and not by the need as much as possible,and it even works for me.For instance,i am not saying that i dont study for exams at all and stuff like that,but i do feel i get away by studying much less than most others do.
Now,what puzzles me is that can i do better if i work really hard?Though my parents may feel otherwise,but i have tried this many times and in the end i find the result to be no better than what i would have achieved otherwise.Its like a certain level of work is set as my optimum level,if i try harder its no use at all.
So another theory which i once believed in is that of smart work.I believed i work in a much more efficient way than the normal ghodagiri way.But now i realise the fallacy of the theory,i do not do anything special,i just go through stuff without paying much attention and time to the small details,infact some of my friends have even tried my weird ways of studying,and have only managed to fail badly.
But lets take another example,i love playing sports.I started playing basketball when i was little less than 16,initially i learned really fast and found myself to be much above my friends,but as time passed on,no matter how hard i tried,i just couldn't raise my game at that rate.I loved playing,i worked hard on my game,but i felt that i was at the same level at which i would be even if i didn't try that hard.Ultimately,i shifted to football,and now i find myself going through the same story here also,i love playing,but i think i am not improving.
But saying all this,i think it would be wrong to say i put in my best,i may say i try hard at sports,but in my heart,i know i just dont try hard enough.Many a times,i think of trying new things,say a new dribbling move i saw onTV,but i simply forget about it whenever i play.There is a small flaw in my kicking with my boots on,i always think about correcting it,but whenever i go out to play,i simply forget about it.Is there a lack of seriousness in me?
Whatever it is,here i stay,without exception,in each and everything i try,as only amongst the good,never the best.Be it sports,JEE,singing,school exams,college quizzes......i always perform well,much above average,but i am never quite the best,there is always a level above me.....and i cannot get on to it,for what reasons this happens,i still dont know.