Hard Work and Purpose: The Path to Success

Many times, people say that "smart work" rather than "hard work" is the key to success. To some extent, they may be right, but we cannot completely avoid "hard work." Nowadays, many videos and self-help books are gaining popularity, promoting the idea of smart work over hard work. However, this trend has led many people to fall into the trap of get-rich-quick scams. Nobody wants to engage in hard work, and many trainers and counselors advocate for the concept of "attracting" or "manifesting" success or desired outcomes in life through smart work alone. They claim that hard work is unnecessary to reach the top; all one needs to do is work smart and think about what they want to miraculously receive it.

Frequently, we find ourselves captivated by such attractive teachings, daydreaming about the things we desire, but forgetting the necessary actions we need to take to achieve them. Consequently, many of us struggle in various areas of our lives, particularly in finance. If you were to ask any successful person, they would testify that reaching their position required an enormous amount of effort and energy.

Observing a successful individual with wealth, power, and a high-paying job, an average person may attribute their accomplishments to sheer luck, genetics, or other factors. They may argue that those fortunate individuals did not do anything more or better than themselves. Additionally, some teachers claim that these successful people manifested their dreams through meditation, vision boards, or visualization.

You might argue that visualizing, meditating, or using mind-mapping techniques to focus on what you want in life can alter your vibration and attract those things to you. However, let me tell you that everything you have in your life is not solely the result of visualization or attraction. If you analyze it closely, you will discover that you have taken focused action and embraced risks.

Consider the example of Michael Phelps, the greatest swimmer. Do you believe he achieved everything he did in his life by simply working smart and not working hard? What if he had merely dreamt of winning gold without putting in the thousands of hours of training over the years? I can confidently say that he wouldn't have even made it to the Olympics, let alone win 14 gold medals across two Olympic Games.

The margin of victory in his 100-meter butterfly race in Beijing was a mere 1/100th of a second, requiring verification by a camera capable of analyzing frames shot 1/10000th of a second apart. His countless hours of hard work in the water paid off. He was not only smart but also an individual who worked incredibly hard.

If you find yourself entangled in the modern teachings of imagination, now is the time to set aside those fanciful thoughts and embrace hard work.

Hard work can be defined as challenging work. Most human beings tend to avoid challenges. When faced with challenging work, only a few individuals step forward and take it on. That is why successful people are rare. Successful people confront challenges; they are not quitters or avoiders. They are prepared to face the difficulties, which is why they are labeled as successful. Challenging work is often painful and uncomfortable.

Hard work is intrinsically linked to purpose. There must be a purpose behind all the hard work one puts in. That purpose serves as the "why," while the hard work serves as the "how." P. T. Usha, known as the "sprint Queen," dedicated many hours to exercise and workouts. Every morning, while her fellow students slept, watched TV, or listened to music, she would wake up early and run along the beaches of Kerala. She was willing to pay the price for success by working hard. Working hard means dedicating the necessary time to achieve the desired results. There were many students studying alongside her who possessed greater physical strength than Usha. However, they did not shine like Usha because they were not willing to pay the price.

I refer to so-called smart workers as "hoppers." They rely on hope for the best outcome, hoping for a better future and a brighter tomorrow. However, they are not willing to put in the necessary effort. They will continue to hope until the end of their lives, and their hopes will perish with them. Hard workers are not hoppers; they are achievers. They work diligently and accomplish many things in their lives. They are admired and respected by others. Hard workers have goals, a vision for their lives, and a sense of purpose.

If you are truly smart, you will work hard until you achieve the desired results. If you are genuinely smart, you will stay focused and dedicate the required time to your work. If you want to build muscle, you need to consistently work out at the gym for an extended period. You must be willing to pay the price in terms of time, energy, pain, and discomfort, among other things. Only then will you witness the results. By doing so, you demonstrate true smart work.