There’s been pushback over the concept of “hard work” and whether it’s really necessary for success. So let’s look at what that term really means. According to the dictionary the term means “constantly, regularly, or habitually engaged in earnest and energetic work, industrious or diligent.” We usually take it to mean “a great deal of effort.” The pushback to hard work has been “don’t work so hard, go with the flow, be open and allow things to happen, it’s bad for your health to work hard.” Underneath that is a belief that success, if it’s right for one, will come without effort. As the definition above says, hard work means consistent effort. That effort doesn’t have to be harsh or pushed, it can and does go better when we are in the flow of things. In fact, when we step away from flow we create hard work for ourselves. If you are a meditator, you know that the “hard work” of meditation is the discipline of sitting on the cushion every day. If you are losing weight you know that it takes consistent effort. If you are learning a new skill (such as how to talk about who you are and what you do) it takes practice. All of these are “hard work” so to speak. All of them bring a sense of wellbeing, satisfaction, pleasure, and sometimes joy. Check out the 10 point checklist below and see what you think! I’m a believer that one should love what one does. If you are an entrepreneur you surely will not succeed to a high degree if you dislike your daily activities of creating and running your business. What I often see is an entrepreneur who is good at their craft or expert in their topic, but they don’t want to do the hard work of crafting their business to run smoothly and successfully. So they try to hire those “hard parts” done (paying as little as possible) and then wonder why their business doesn’t thrive even though they have great expertise. On the other hand, if you take your entrepreneurial journey to be an adventure that will sometimes be easy, sometimes harder, a great learning experience, and something you want to stick to consistently then you’ll be successful. It’s not hard work, it’s an adventure that will both delight you and be very daunting at times. Sticking to it is the hard work of success. You can absolutely do it, you might just not want to. And in that case you are not an entrepreneur. I’ve created a 10-point checklist for working hard. That really only means that you keep yourself focused (which is when the flow comes). See if this checklist is helpful for you. Set Clear Goals and Vision : Define what success looks like for you and your business. Educate Yourself : Invest time in learning about your industry, market trends, and business management. Knowledge is power, and it’s essential for making informed decisions. Develop a Solid Business Plan : If you are a solopreneur you can use my Simple Business Plan for Solo Professionals for a framework that is right-sized for small business owners. Build a Strong Network : Connect with other entrepreneurs, mentors, and professionals. Networking can provide support, advice, and potentially valuable business opportunities. Cultivate Resilience and Adaptability : Embrace the fact that setbacks and challenges are part of the journey. Most of the hard work of being a business owner is keeping your head straight! Prioritize Time Management : Balance your workload, set priorities, and don’t forget to allocate time for self-care and reflection. In fact this should be your top priority. Embrace Innovation and Creativity : Stay open to new ideas and be willing to innovate. This mindset will help you solve problems and stay ahead in a competitive market. Focus on Customer Needs and Feedback : Your business should revolve around meeting customer needs. Listen to feedback and be prepared to adjust your approach or product accordingly. Monitor Financial Health : Keep a close eye on cash flow, expenses, and revenue. Financial health is critical for sustainability and growth. Celebrate Milestones and Learn from Failures : Acknowledge and celebrate your achievements, no matter how small. Similarly, view failures as learning opportunities, not setbacks. When you look at that checklist you’ll notice that hard work probably doesn’t mean what you had in mind. A good check for yourself is to count up how many of these seem distasteful to you, or are things you would avoid. That’s where your hard work comes in! It’s hard to do the hard work alone. If you are a female entrepreneur I invite you to consider joining my CEO Circle for women. It’s cost effective, but more importantly it provides a welcoming space in which to honestly talk about and learn how to keep your mindset in the right place for owning a business. You can get the details for my CEO Circle here . Related Article: Finding Courage to Face Something Hard Is this article helpful for you? If so, please take a minute to share it using one of the social share icons below. Thank you! Share This Article
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