Give a burst of energy in the beginning when you’re well-rested and ready to go.
Like the runners who sprint ahead at the beginning of marathons so that you can see them way out in front of everyone else in the starting photos (they also avoid all the pushing and shoving).
On the starting blocks, while everyone else is still at zero, it’s the easiest time to be seen as leading the pack. This is the time to soak up attention from your boss, critics, fans, etc.
Once you’re out ahead, you’ve bought yourself time and slack in the middle to relax and do just average and still be seen in the lead.
Then at the end, when the adrenaline kicks in anyway, the finish line is in sight, and whatever incentive you’re after is right in front of your face—then you can make an almost superhuman final push to pad your stats and add some icing to the cake.