I do not believe that hard work is the secret to success

I do not believe that hard work is the secret to success

In fact I believe that in many cases applied as the primary tool in the tool kit it leads to stress, poor health, overwhelm, and strained or broken relationships and without the promised success. (The definition of which surely must include freedom of time, health and great relationships.)

That doesn’t mean though that I am a proponent of laziness in fact I believe that falling asleep at night should be like a mini death after having squeezed all the juice out of the day filled with purposeful and passionate pursuits.

I believe that success is a product of diligently implementing, assessing and refining processes measured against clearly defined outcomes.

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I do not believe that motivation or repetitively conjuring up the desire to achieve external rewards like money, cars or the house on the hill is the way to move ourselves or anyone else.

In fact I believe that the dangling of external success is a sure fire way to find those most uncertain of what matters to them, most likely to become stressed and overwhelmed and frustrated with stake holders in the process.

I believe that using motivation is also a near certain way of creating stress, overwhelm, stagnation and frustration in ourselves.

That’s doesn’t mean that I don’t want success or that I think others shouldn’t. I love money and the things in life it can afford me.

But I see that it is inspiration and purpose that are the vehicle to get me there. A picture of the world bigger than myself that I can fulfil in ever moment.

When we require motivation we are ultimately saying, this path to that outcome doesn’t seem worth it or even more directly “I don’t want to do this”.

When we are inspired we have specifically and deliberately signed up to do what it takes because it matters to us.

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It’s funny, I don’t get much resistance to these ideas. Nobody argues that the solution to a failed system is to work that system with more effort.

And nobody argues when they look at it closely that choosing a path that doesn’t hold passion, interest or purpose but requires constant motivation is the best way to achieve happiness, fulfilment and success.

Yet every time I find someone stressed, overworked, overwhelmed, stagnating and disconnected from themselves and those they care about I find those who have predictably and repeatedly chosen hard works as their hammer and motivation as their fuel.

And when those people slow down, assess their process and slowly start to reconnect with inspiration and purpose that stress, overwhelm and frustration quickly melts away.

Something I consistent ask myself is, are there other rewards in this other than money or recognition?

It helps me keep on the right path and off the wrong one.