Working hard is hard work can mean something different to each person.
For example, see some quotes from highly successful people about hard work.
“Don’t pity any man who does hard work worth doing. I admire him. I pity the creature who does not work, at whichever end of the social scale he may regard himself as being.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt
“Success isn’t always about greatness. It’s about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come.” ~ Dwayne Johnson
“I do not believe in excuses. I believe in hard work as the prime solvent of life’s problems.” ~ James Cash Penney
What Does Hard Work Mean
But what is it really? The man or woman at a factory works hard. So do farmers, homemakers and people who enter data into computer programs. Certainly, working hard is hard work and we want to believe we are hard workers. You might spend all of your day in front of a computer, sifting through documents. That is hard work.
Do they end up being as successful as Theodore Roosevelt, Dwayne Johnson, and James Cash Penney?
You know the answer to that.
Hard Work Alone Isn’t the Answer
If you run your own legal nurse consulting business or move up the corporate ladder, someone is guaranteed to tell you, “You’ll have to work hard.”
That’s like saying, “You’ll have to drive a car.”
To drive a car effectively, you need three things:
- a car that runs well
- a destination
- fuel
The same is true of hard work.
Take Your Foot Off the Brakes
A car doesn’t run well if you have the emergency brakes on or if you’re manually slowing it down. We do this often without realizing it.
Applying the brakes can be as simple as saying, “This is hard work.” The more one thinks that it is harder than it seems. The individual may begin to ask himself or herself,
“This is hard. Why am I doing this?”
Many variations of “This is hard work” may wander through your mind, such as “This is boring,” “This is meaningless,” or “I think I’ll check Facebook.”
If any such thoughts occur to you, and you feel your momentum slowing, you may be missing the other elements that must accompany hard work.
Destination and Fuel
You can work twenty-four hours a day and get nowhere if you don’t have a destination.
Having a clearly defined goal is crucial.
You also need the inspiration to fuel your journey to success. More than only a goal, you need a dream. You need a vision that will sustain you when the work seems too hard, a powerful sense of purpose that can take you to the next level.
Otherwise, all you’re doing is working hard at hard work. And that won’t get you anywhere.
Subcontracting is the answer for many LNCs. New LNCs get business by subcontracting, and experienced LNCs avoid working 60 hours a week by delegating cases to subcontractors.
Watch our free masterclass called Get More LNC Income with Subcontracting. Click on this link to get this on demand training.
Pat Iyer is president of The Pat Iyer Group, which develops resources to assist LNCs obtain more clients, make more money and achieve their business goals and dreams.
Pat’s related websites include the LNC business coaching services she offers through LNCAcademy.com, the continuing education provided on LNCEU.com, the podcasts broadcast at podcast.legalnursebusiness.com, and writing tips supplied at patiyer.com.
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