Hard Work Isn't Always The Answer

Many people like to prescribe hard work as part of the formula for success. While it's true that dedication, persistence, and perseverance all factor into the success equation, hard work by itself does not.

If, by hard work, people mean diligence and productive effort, I would agree that this is essential to success. However, if they just mean compliance or nonproductive accomplishment, then hard work will not lead to success - only to exhaustion and frustration.

Calling 50-100 people a day is hard work - takes a lot of effort and can be exhausting. It probably produces little benefit. Sending out 1,000 flyers or letters a week can be hard work - again with little to show in the way of results. Making a 2 hour presentation to someone who is only marginally interested in your homes can take a lot of effort but will have no positive result. Driving people around for 3 or 4 days and showing them 20 homes is exhausting but unproductive.

Physically hard work or time-consuming effort is not the answer unless it is strategic. Otherwise, a more efficient use of your time is to focus on the areas where you can make a difference and have something to show for your efforts.

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