Imagine if I published a personal development article which went something like this…
Want to be successful? Then work harder than most.
The End.
By Craig Harper (B.Ex.Sci.)
Another Book Perhaps?
Sometimes I really want to write posts like that but I have a feeling that my readership might drop off a little. After all, what kind of crazy-ass, out-dated concept is that? As if you’re gonna sell hard work as a recipe for success in 2008. Don’t give me a one line article Craig, give me another five hundred page book please. Because those other fifty self-help books didn’t quite hit the spot. I’m still trying to find what will work for me.
“It ain’t about what will work for you, it’s about what you will work for.”
A Dilemma for CH
As an educator and professional development speaker and writer, I have been confronted with the same dilemma many times; do I tell them (my audience) what they want to hear (and be instantly popular), or do I tell them the truth and risk offending them or losing them? Years of doing what I do has taught me that what people want to hear, and what they need to hear (to create amazing outcomes), are rarely the same.
In our quick fix, instant gratification society, what many people want is a secret, a shortcut, an advantage. Something that will allow them to bypass the ‘hard work’ part of the success journey. After all, who wants to hear that success is primarily about discipline, self-control and hard work? That’s not sexy. That’s not fun. That’s not comfortable.
What Works?
Probably the best question I ever asked myself when I began my personal growth odyssey was… When I study successful people across a broad range of professions and from varied backgrounds, what is the one thing which separates them from those who failed? Most times, the answer is simply that they have worked harder and more consistently than most. Is that an exciting revelation for me to share with the world? No. Is it reality? Yep. When others threw in the towel, they persevered. While many spent years looking for shortcuts, they simply did what needed to be done. While the majority were talking and wasting (more) time, they were quietly getting shit done.
Big Boring Yawn.
Not gonna sell many books or get people to your seminars with that kind of information Mr. Harper. We want something a little sexier than that. A new paradigm. A different approach. Another philosophy. Something exciting and edgy. My grandfather was teaching that ‘hard work’ crap fifty years ago.
Of course the hard work philosophy is great. Except for the ‘hard’ bit. We’re absolutely prepared to do whatever it takes. As long as it’s quick and painless. And no risk. And free. And easy.
One of the dangers for people working in this field (personal development) is an ever-present propensity to keep trying to re-invent the wheel. To keep coming up with new theories, strategies and terminologies to essentially achieve the same thing; success. Yes we can continue to make it more complicated than it needs to be and yes, we can keep creating new ways to say the same things… or we can stop with all the psycho-babble, the jargon and self-help bullshit and simply do the work.
When all else fails, work works.
Don’t forget my RYL workshops, coming soon to a city near you!
{ 31 comments… read them below or add one }
“It ain’t about what will work for you, it’s about what you will work for.”
This has me itching to get on with it. My intentions are always gung ho in the beginning and then they wane but since signing up here and reading your non-nonsense approach, I seem to be finally ‘getting it’.
I’m worth working for!
Keep on keeping on.
Suu
Labas, Craig!
Yeah, you as always, right. It soooo damn simple to understand and sooo HARD to begin with, but when you work out some “hard time” it becomes…easy. To begin is quite easy when you think it is your last day in this HARD world. Who knows? Maybe I am right. Maybe I am not. Don’t want to try on that. Sleep well when you know, that you have done your best today.
Happy day,
Saulius
Craig,
“want to be successful, work harder than most” sounded so much more entertaining and enjoyable the long way, thanks Craig for another wonderful message.
My mum always says If something is worth doing it is worth doing well!
I am worth giving my all for but sometimes I need to be reminded of it. So glad I have you to do that Craig.
Thank you!!!
BTW, celebrated my birthday (on the 29th, turned 46) and was good with the birthday cake so WW will be happy with that. Apparently I have to be doing some weight training….yes Craig I listened to Gold. I have some 1kg and 2kg dumbbells just need to figure out the best use of them to get the job done properly! (I think I need to win you Craig lol)
Have a great DAY
Michelle ()
Ahhhh love it..
Really makes me feel like I can achieve anything with a bit of elbow grease and commitment.
I’ve recommended your RYL workshop to some friends but it will be up to them to make the move. I can only tell them how great it is..
Hope you’re having a great week Craig
Triple G ()
Hello Craig,
Perhaps it is a case of “The Truth Hurts,” but people need to know that in order to accomplish anything of value you have to work hard. We live in a world filled with people who want the path of least resistance. (Myself included until I got hooked on “Effective Action” – simply getting my work done and going to sleep knowing I have moved closer to accomplishing my goals as opposed to wasting the day).
Please do not feel bad sharing the idea that if people want to live their ideal lives they actually have to work hard. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH WORKING HARD. It is only a problem when you hate what you are doing. If you are doing what you love, 16-hour days pass in a blink of an eye.
So maybe what we should be saying is: If you love what you do, then it is not hard work, it simply is doing what you have to do.
Thanks for a great post,
Cheers
The problem (as you know) is that most don’t want to work for what they want. It’s too hard. They don’t have enough time. Why bother? Bottom line – they don’t want it badly enough. Oh, and I’m not talking about others….I’m talking from personal experience too.
Sometimes I think we just don’t really know WHAT we want. We think we do…..we make moves towards what we think we want….but when it gets a little bit tough, we throw in the towel and decide we really didn’t want it anyway or at least didn’t want it badly enough to really fight for it with everything we’ve got.
I say let the personal development peeps keep writing books and coming up with new theories….you never know when something will click. I click with your messages but others have probably been offended by your messages (too honest?)…keep focused on your audience!
… and sometimes hard “work” may just as well mean making up your mind and focusing your thoughts and attention – totally; the “doing” bit flows from there much easier.
All the best!
Mia
Scratch that itch Suu!
( )
Labas Saulius – thanks for dropping by…
Cheers.
HI Michelle – Happy Birthday!!!
Now, start lifting some weights!
( )
Go Triple G!
Get them along Baby!
( )
I have recently signed up for your RYL workshop in Adelaide.
This RYL thingy wouldn’t happen to involve hard work would it? Gee I was hoping I could change my life the easy way.
But I don’t think its that simple … I agree we have to work harder but I think the real truth is that we have to work smarter!!
J9
Hi Leanne – no, it will be a piece of cake.
So to speak.
( )
Hi J9 – of course it’s about both. But the chances of succeeding without ever working hard are almost zero. I guess it depends on how you define success.
Working hard and working smart don’t need to be mutually exclusive.
( )
Hi Tabs – thanks for your thoughts… ( )
Hi Sybil.
Me.. offensive?
NO!!
Back to the drawing board for me.
Cheers ( )
Hi Craig,
thanks for the birthday wishes and I have started on the weights..boss! lol
Have an awesome day
Michelle
I love it! Love it love it love it love it.
It’s printed and pn my computer.
I had to fill in my performance review yesterday and as I was writing a few things decided I just need to get on with it and quit complaining! Deal with it Jojo. And work hard.
have a grouse day
miss jojo
Could you really be offensive if you tried Craig?
You know what the REAL problem is – you couldn’t write a 1 line post if you tried!!!!
Or is that just me? I can’t even write a 1 line comment!!!!
I do like it when you “give it straight”. It’s still taking a while to sink in but I’m sure it will eventually (thick skull and all that).
Hi Michelle… good.
Love, Bossy.
( )
Good for you Jojo.. ( )
Hi Lightening.
1. Yep, I can be.
2. You’re right; I talk too much.
( )
Hi Craig,
I am 24 and own my own million dollar business with my husband. We work our arses off, sometimes its not all fun and games, sometimes it is enjoyable but more often than not we do just have to get the shit done.
We have lots of good stuff – 5 acres, we are building our dream home, we have a 650m2 shed, 8.3m Haines Hunter boat, nice cars and lots more good shit to come and everyone wants what we have. Is anyone willing to do the hard work consistently – HELL NO! They see the toys we have but not the work involved in getting it.
Kinda insults me sometimes that the hard work is forgotten by most people and they are just thinking damn i wish I had this or that. Sometimes I think they should just bugger off and do some WORK!
-Egg Carton
Hey Craig,
I love your honest approach and are learning to be more like you. The successful people just get up one more time than they fall down. Have been listening to you on a Tueday night on SEN, will get up the courage to ring in soon.
Keep up the great work.
Dee
Nice venting Egg Carton.
Keep doing what you do and don’t worry about the tall poppy brigade.
Congrats on your success.
( )
Don’t be a chicken Dee – make that call!
Enjoy your day ( )
Thanks for another timely kick up the rear….
There are areas where I do work hard eg fitness regime and eating, but I am still avoiding the other areas I would like to be amazing. BAsically because I feel uncomfortable with the hard work when I step out of my comfort zone.
BUT your message is simple – get in and get dirty – and I like simple. There will be no ‘big bang’ or bright light! The one word you mentioned which to me is the key was CONSISTENT.
see you at the RYL
Hi Karen.
Happy to kick.
Cheers.
( )
Lucky people hearing you on radio ! You’ll have to get a national gig Craig, so the rest of us can share too. Your tv one was great.
I do agree with the hard work thing – persistence and perserverence are the keys.Thank you for the reminder.
For Michelle, just wanted to say I do weights or more accuratley weight bearing exercise and it’s good. Was just thinking today how far I’ve come in just 3 mths – from the first day when I couldn’t move after the workout to now, when it’s almost easy !! I do increase the intensity slowly and I think the hard work is starting to pay off!! Hard work – it does work.
Cheers Craig ( ) Hugs,
Monica
While I do believe that hard work is required to get anything of great value in life, I also think that there is a difference between hard work to be successful and hard work that simply causes stress. Not everyone is able to naturally work how their job requires them to. Sometimes it’s that freedom to be yourself that can make the light at the end of all that hard work shine through. I recently read a book by Kathy Kolbe that made me start to look at how I approach my daily tasks differently. While I do still work hard at what I do, I think that you also have to stay within a certain comfort zone to avoid getting burnt out.