Are You Working Hard?
Last week’s blog post was quite confronting to many people.
In the article Do You Sabotage Your Own Success, we shared a basic fact about human nature: that people, at their core, are lazy, greedy, and impatient.
We got, as we expected, a lot of heat from readers that disagreed with our observation.
But we also heard from many who were willing to look at themselves honestly, admitting that they can see those tendencies in them, but don't know how to overcome them.
In this article we want to start handling these challenges, with confronting the “lazy part”...
But first, let's make sure we're talking about the same thing.
Here is what we mean by....
Being Lazy...
When you’ve got a task to do, any task, in any area, whatever its size or duration, would you prefer to do it the hard way or the easy way?
For example:
- Would you rather clean your house the hard way, or the easy way?
- Would you rather grow your business the hard way, or the easy way?
- Would you rather raise your children the hard way, or the easy way?
- Would you rather lose weight the hard way, or the easy way?
- Would you rather earn money the hard way, or the easy way?
If you’re honest with yourself, you probably answered “the easy way” to all these questions.
But even if you answered “the easy way” to only one of these questions, you already get it...
Anytime You Choose the Easy Way, You Choose Laziness...
There's nothing wrong with choosing the easy way sometimes.
We all could use a break every now and then.
But the price for laziness is that you will NEVER experience real success, enjoy true happiness, and fulfill your greatest potential.
In order to help you step out of your comfort zone and mediocrity... we want to share some truths that you may not be fully aware of, and offer simple, actionable ways to move out of laziness... when and IF you choose to...
Ready?
Let’s begin.
We often hear it from people...
”I Am Not Lazy!”
“I’m working so hard/so long/on so many things...”
Are You Working Hard? Really?
- It’s hard work to think for yourself, instead of falling into crowd thinking (or meme mentality)
Ask anyone what they think of COVID-19, Black Lives Matter, Donald Trump, Climate Change or Transgenders - and you’ll get cookie-cutter answers taken from social media - 99.5% of the time.
Very few people research all the “evidence”, listen to all sides of the debate, look for their own bias and prejudices, and then take the time to form an independent opinion.
It’s much easier to follow a politician, an author, a comedian, a YouTuber, or a Facebook influencer that you respect - and adopt their opinions as yours. - It’s hard work to make difficult emotional decisions
Making a decision to fire an employee, end an unwanted pregnancy, divorce the father or mother of your children, or even confronting someone for doing you wrong - is scary, painful, sad or all of these emotions.
So most people would rather take the easy way out - postponing, debating, complaining, or asking for everyone else’s opinion. - It’s hard work to stop doing what worked in the past, and go for something totally new
Admitting when something that worked in the past doesn’t work anymore, is already a major challenge for most people.
But being willing to develop a new business model, invest in a new relationship, commit to a new diet... is hard work that is not for the faint of heart. - It’s hard work to take risks and trust your intuition, when you don’t have all the data
It’s easy to keep the status quo and not risk taking action that is out of your comfort zone. It’s also easy to keep waiting until you have all the answers to make an informed decision.
But almost every single big decision in life or in business requires you to take it without having all the information...
If it’s buying a house in a new city/country, investing in a project, a company or the stock exchange, choosing a treatment to a life-threatening illness, developing a remarkable product, or vaccinating your kids.
Hard Work Has Nothing to Do With Long Hours
Richard Branson, Oprah Winfrey, Elon Musk, Beyoncé and any other successful person you know (or heard of) probably has the same number of hours per day as you.
They’re successful because they’re doing the hard work.
So Here’s Your Chance...
... to practice working hard for a few minutes...
We invite you to answer 3 questions... honestly!
And... yes, we know...
It’s difficult to think it through and then type your answers into the comment box.
It’s easier to wait for us and other readers to provide you with insights and ideas.
But this time... don’t limit your potential.
Can't wait to learn from your answers.
And until then...
Let my experience and love for work slip away in confrontation with Israelian and German managers
Find a way to deal with it
Have more positive feeling in self-chosen early retirement.
1) Doing my administration
2) Just do it!
3) it would help me set a better course for my business & earn more with less work hours
Thanks Sandra for your honest input.
If “Just Do It!” would have been as easy as it sounds, people would not have been that lazy…
It’s a nice slogan, but let’s be realistic – it’s not what would move forward. Think what would TRULY get you moving in the places where you take the easy way out
Curious to hear what you will come up with
1 I had to learn to be not always in the hard work method. I clean my house the easy way.
2 I do hard work to write my book, publish it by myself, marketing and promotions. I do hard work learning new methods to become better, be a public speaker and do a lot of trying out. What I could do is take more rest in between the hard work.
3 I hope that a lot of people read my book and receive the benefits from it.
Thanks for your honest and sincere comment Ibolya.
However, doing it “all on your own” is sometimes taking the easy way out as you are not THINKING on finding ways on how to work smarter and faster in achieving your goals and preferring to stay with what you already know, which is doing it by yourself.
Now THINK HOW could you publish your book in a way that would be quicker and more effective?
1.In my jobs I used to work very hard in the past, but not that hard for my own business
2.Make a more coherent plan and body of my business
3.sometimes I’m afraid of more clients, if I’m able to handle all the problems in the right way.
The result of hard work would be more clients of course.
I answered for my home, but for my business I’m still playing it small.
I struggle with my health but it also feels like an excuse and I find myself going in loops.
For years now my massage practice is going, but real growth in clients is low. I procrastinate making a website.
2. What to do is assemble all the things I’ve written over the last years and make content for the website.
Have someone take pictures of my practice to accompany the content and find someone that can built the site.
I’ve tried my self, but it was not up to par.
3. I would feel very content, proud and happy with myself. It would be the start to go to the next level.
That’s great Iris and thanks for adding this valuable input.
That’s already moves you away from the lazy part…
1. In my house I’m procrastinating with making the finishing touches.
2. I go and do it. Start putting the door posters up and finishing of the last woodwork
3. I would feel content about my self and have more joy of being at home. Also I can move to the next thing I’m procrastinating….
Thanks for your honest input Iris.
Curious to know HOW do you procrastinate? When you have clarity on it it would be easier for you to NOT fall into that trap.
I’m doing what it takes to get where I want to be…
Hey Vered & Nisandeh,
Very interesting… I can answer 1. and 2. with my mind. Several outcomes. No surprises. Nothing new.
But when it comes to question 3, the first answer that pops up out of nowhere (subconciously) is “more hard work”.
So apparently I have a belief that when I work hard, I receive even more hard work.
Work harder in business = more clients = more hard work (my head knows that is not necessarily true btw since we prefer to work smart).
No wonder I am holding myself back in working hard …. it feels like an endless circle, feels like I need to protect myself from that.
1. household. I only clean and clear my rooms in the house once a week.
2. Schedule the work that has to be done, and spread it out over 5 days a week. Do the small work mindfully!
3. Happy family and happy me!
1. not networking with the right people yet to get another job and new clients.
2. Focus and make a mindmap with networkpeople, putting it in an weekly actionplan.
3. Results will show sooner than they do now.
Thanks for your valuable and honest input Alma.
By doing this both for personal and business is the way to go beyond our laziness attitude.
Stay tuned for our program in 2021 for support in going beyond all those three elements
I did undertake action, but while I am working online in this program I feel fear.
I have to overcome this irrational fear and trust myself, in order to deliver my ten-step-book.
Dear Janna, thank you so much for your honest respond.
Have a look what is the fear about?… Is it REAL, or is it just “stories” your mind create… do a REALITY check and notice what is your fear indicating you to…
In my life I take getting my dream jobs and roles too soft.
I could be more disciplined and making more hours a day focusing on a new job, right network, do instead of think.
More structured and focused energy on paid job and dream role will contribute to succeed in getting it.
Thanks so much for your valuable contribution Alexandra.
Curious to know what would be your FIRST step in going for your dreams?
I take the easy way in complaining I don’t have enough time for all of it, and then do the easy tasks that anyone else can do and don’t do what needs to be done. (The risky letters, the risky actions, the difficult decisions).
If I leave the easy work to others that love to do that and do it faster than me also, I can do the hard (risky) stuff, and we will grow much faster and better (which is partly my desire). (I need to work on the ‘partly’ bit still). But if I at least do this, (divide the tasks) I can see in a month if this is working for me. Thanks for the lesson!
Thanks Sylvia so much for your honest respond.
Basically you’re saying that NOT delegating is taking the easy way out. So true and a lesson so many of us (especially women) need to learn doing.
Curious to know what SPECIFIC tasks would you delegate in order to free yourself to doing the IMPORTANT stuff?
Dears,
As off a young age, I’ve known a lot of hardship in my life.
Rest assured that I understand the difference between ‘inconvenience’ and ‘hardship’. Circumstances made me go invisible. To avoid being hurt. It made me a practical person. Deal with it.
In the practical sense of the statement, I have taken the easy way all my life and used my speed and intellect to compensate the slacking off.
I could get away with almost anything. Taking weeks to thinking a new process through to executing the process in an hour. It has resulted in a library in my head filled with blueprints on never mind what process. I am the big problem solver.
Having been trained the American way: “You don’t do your best. You do what it takes” helped me getting there.
Because of all the knowledge in the library the slacking off got worse.
And now as I get older, becoming less tolerant to a lot of what I call non-issues, my mind threw resentment on my path towards a lot of these issues (and the people bringing them forward).
Then the procrastination kicked in. Procrastinating and slacking off makes me having to set all sails to keep things on track. Which is exhausting for me, makes me short-tempered and makes me floating off towards the ‘hole’.
I compensate by applying 150% efficiency. This makes people around me go crazy and me not liking myself.
Add to that the health issues I’ve been wrestling with for most of my life. The physical exercise I need to improve my condition is standing behind me with a double barrel gun. It is two minutes to twelve.
Before anything else that is my greatest fear. That I will lose my fun self, that I lose the capability of seeing life in a bigger context, seeing beauty in everything and everyone. That I will become a sourpuss.
Not feeling safe, commenting on everything and everybody, living in a grey world.
I don’t even want to put up tree. Me? Not putting up tree? Not possible. Yes possible. But since I do what it takes, I gave myself a kick in the butt yesterday and have started on the green giant to insert some light and cheer into the picture.
In the meantime you can probably hear the sad violins playing. Oh dear, how sad, never mind.
So here’s the thing. I need to apply more discipline.
Get off my lazy behind, stop procrastinating and narrow my path towards success by throwing all the distractions aside. Bring this new business in place. I thought it through, installed a number of elements. Today finishing up and pushing the button GO.
I’ve been running from my talents all my life. No more.
I see myself in the distance. A healthy mind in a healthy body, arms spreads and face towards the sun.
GO, Dee, GO!
Dearest Dee,
I’m overwhelmed with your deep sharing and openness. It is so refreshing to have someone as you who not only is honest with themselves, but is also willing to share it and encourage and inspire others with it.
THANK YOU for being with us and contributing in such an empowering way.
As we wrote in the blog post… there is no point judging and beating ourselves for being HUMAN and being (sometimes) lazy, greedy and impatient. The point is to recognize it and move forward, exactly as you wrote into different habits and patterns of living life to the fullest.
For those (like you) who are courageous enough to do it, we’re preparing a FANTASTIC program for 2021 that would support and move, those who wish, forward on their path, like never before.
SO…STAY TUNED….
1. Lot of things to grow
2. Work more on things to bring on money
3. fulfillment and a better money management
Thanks Marc for your honest input.
Curious to know more what SPECIFIC things you mean by saying that you need to “grow”.
Alright, here we go…
1. In too many places, some are okay, but some I really need to work on?
2. I think saying my opinion more and accept the consequences. That’s why I keep still a lot of times!
3. I expect it will be hard in the beginning, maybe even thinking: what did I get myself into, but in the long run, I will get to fulfill my potential more.
Hi Saskia,
Thanks for your contribution. Would love to hear more specific in WHAT places you take the easy way out.
Answering in generic way is a way of our mind to stay safe and not really address the challenge.
1 Taking the easy way by my whole day ‘tempo’
2 As hard work to start my day earlier & to put Effort in my day!
To put in my morning intention gratefulness &
enthousiasm and energy in all things I do 24/7 & do more in 1 day
3 More Energy. More Happiness
More Fulfillment of My Potential & Feeling Relaxed
1. Postponing things I want to do
2. Get a grip and just do it
3. Fulfilment and satisfaction about my input
1. In order to relax, I often drink a glass of alcohol.
2. Instead of alcohol, go for a walk, to the gym or do some yoga.
3. Live longer, have more energy, feel more at peace.