Working hard enough?

[Midnight_Oil]

How do you know if you're working hard enough at life? Hard work does not guarantee success though it bring you closer to it. So if I feel that I'm not successful how do I know if I am putting in the effort? Hours worked? Goals completed? Headaches? Physical exhaustion?

For instance, at the gym, I hardly ever think, I'm working hard enough, unless I am physically drained, with nausea, and drenched with sweat. I think I should always fail at my last set too. Though with all of that physical pain I feel that I am just mentally weak and should push harder. Yesterday, I felt drained after my work out but thought I should of pushed further.

What about at my job? Should I be studying methods and procedures when it is slow or doing menial jobs that need to be done but no one notices? Why should I study when I'm at work; I work nights and never see my boss. I do not think that studying will make me better at my job. I'm competent at my job but no one wants to talk about additional training. I've only been there a year though with my inflated college ego, I think that I should be doing more.

What about my free time? I don't know if I should get a second job to help me save more money. I've been thinking lately that I need to study Calculus or Philosophy instead of “hanging” out or working on my car. Though what is the point of that additional studying? I think I've should be studying every waking moment, cramming my brain until I get headaches and run in circles in frustration.

If my degree doesn't say “engineer” why should I study to be one? No I'm not going back to college; college is such a scam. You receive a piece of paper after 4 or 5 year and you have a sense of entitlement to a good job. My professors filled my head with lies of success, people respecting my education, and being someone.

Are you entitled to that job?. Older people think my generation has an entitlement problem. Is wanting that a good job an entitlement problem? Employers don't seem to care about a college education. The market is now flooded with them. They get educated people for cheap. Or so college educated people think they are "educated."

I'm making 18k-20k less than I thought I would be making in college. Am I entitled to that money? Now a days, I don't think so. Sleep less and work harder, work harder, work harder...

 

[backbreaker]

It's actually a damn good question you ask there.

when I had my first business, when I started out i was actually quite lazy. I skated by on what natural ability I had, and my old business partner, while we didn't get along, worked that **** right out of me, the laziness. He had a motto, which I'm sure he stole from someone.. Don't put off anything tomorrow that can be done today. That's pretty much my personal motto.

I spend about 30 m intues a night coming up with everyhting that needs to be done, then I ask myself can it be done the next day. Note, there is a difference between realistic and difficult, meaning, if it's going to be tough to get it done, I still put it on the list. But for instance, Im' doing my taxes right now, or my accountant is, no matter how much I want to get it done tomorrow, it's not going to happen becuase I have to wait on the tax woman to do what she does. so that's not something that can be done tomorrow. But, for instance, as luck would have it, I got a call a few days ago from my mom telling e that the state of Arkansas has me on the treasure hunt thing, they owe me a few hundred dollars and could not find me because I moved out of state. to get the money I have to fill out a claim form and send it in, which sounds easy but I have to prove my residence.. that i had 9 years ago lol. yeah I got it figured out but it requires me to go to kinko's and **** and I really dont' want to, it's like 529 dollars.. and it's going to be like 3 months before I even get the check, but while I really don't want to, that's free money ,and it needs to be done, so it will get done.


Then you ask yourself, are you half assing anything on your list. NOt only did you do what had to be done, did you do it right.

I know at the end of the day if I had a productive day or not. a productive day to me is doing everyhting I set out to do to the best of my ability. Sometimes life happens. My son got sick a few weeks ago, nothing serious just a head cold, but I took him to the doctor, that obviously trumped everyhting on my to do list. I'm not going to beat myself up for that.

YOu know if you could have made it to the gym or not deep down and side. YOu know if you could have done the extra paperwork at work or not. you know, if you ate what you were supposed to eat or not. At the end of the day you have to be able to look in the mirror and give an account of yourself to yourself.

 

[NewMan]

It's never just about how HARD you work - it's also about what your doing.

I see plenty of kids at the gym drenched in sweat - most of them are overtraining, or their form sucks or perhaps their diet stinks.

Same at work. You all know guys putting in hrs at the office, leaving at 8PM - head down in the grind - but are they working on the right things? and are they allocating time to the right activities?

 

[thinktank1985]

Its not about working hard, its about working smart.

 

[Warrior74]

Results is how you measure work.

If you're goal is to earn 80k a year and you are working as hard as you can for 40k. You need to go back to the drawing board and create a new plan.

If you goal is to lose 20lbs in 3 months and you've only lost 10. You need to revise your plan.

If you goal is to bang three women a month and you're only getting 1. Revise your plan.

You see a pattern here? Set a goal. See if you met it. If not, revise your plan. Try again. It's not about how hard you work, its about achieving what you want.

 

[thinktank1985]

Its a good point. I think I would be more successful if I had specific goals as well.

Well time to start doing just that.