Chapter 1: The Myth of Working Smart

How did we end up in a culture that undervalues hard work?

I've yet to hear anyone advise a top athlete to focus on working smart rather than hard. Think of ballerinas or guitarists—these artists exemplify that success is built on relentless effort. Yes, there are techniques to enhance learning or avoid injuries, but the essence of achievement is rooted in hard work: countless hours, sweat, pain, and failures followed by more effort.

Have you seen the hands of novice guitar players? Or the feet of ballet dancers? Ernest Hemingway once depicted writing as a painful process, likening it to bleeding onto a typewriter. I understand that as bloggers, we often prioritize simplicity, and yes, there’s joy in writing. You might have churned out 876 articles in a day and earned $5,000 on Medium. So who am I to criticize?

Yet, hard work consistently prevails. It may not seem immediate, but diligent individuals are skilled at delaying gratification. In time, they emerge victorious while others falter. It's frustrating because I recognize your potential. It's not about aspiring to be Hemingway, but rather about avoiding superficial work that lacks depth.

Is mediocrity what you aim for? Hard work is not merely a choice; it's a mindset. Michelle Obama’s words on this subject resonated with me deeply. I used to think that hard work was a daily decision, a choice for the disciplined. But daily decisions are vulnerable to change.

A few years back, I attended Shonda Rhimes' Masterclass, where she emphasized that prolific writers produce a lot. I felt motivated and increased my writing output for a few months—until I convinced myself it was "too hard." But was it truly impossible?

The realization struck: hard work is a habit, not an action. Those who work hard don't wait for inspiration or allow negative thoughts to deter them. They embrace discomfort because it signals that progress is on the way.

Unsure of your focus? That’s fine. Working diligently on the wrong task allows you to determine its inappropriateness more swiftly than if you merely dabble. If you're laboring on the right task without seeing results, you'll adapt your strategy much quicker.

Ultimately, it all circles back to hard work. But how do you cultivate the work ethic you need?

Chapter 2: Resilience in the Face of Challenges

Recently, I viewed a Netflix documentary about Lewis Capaldi, the artist behind "Someone You Loved." The film portrayed his struggles in crafting another hit song. You can relate, even if your challenges differ. Have you ever felt lost, doubting your abilities while being frustrated by others' achievements?

When you work for someone else, you push through tough days out of necessity. However, as a solopreneur, it can be all too easy to throw in the towel. I’ve spent countless days wallowing in self-pity, disguising it as relaxation. That’s no longer the case.

I’ve realized that positive emotions have failed me too often to rely on them anymore. Everyone faces difficult days—whether it's me, Lewis Capaldi, or even Tony Robbins. The key difference lies in how hard workers respond. They don’t wait for positivity; they persevere through adversity.

Your approach to difficult days is a predictor of your success. Amateurs might skip those crucial hours, whereas you will show up. More hours translate to greater experience, increasing your chances of reaching your goals faster.

This is the first step to becoming a hard worker: show up on both good and bad days. It’s akin to working out; the more you push through the tough days, the less power those feelings hold over you.

As hard workers confront their inner challenges, they develop a unique decision-making style: they aren’t afraid to tackle the tough options. They don’t chase fleeting trends but concentrate on what truly matters, regardless of difficulty.

Certainly, they might employ strategies to expedite their journey, but they never lose sight of the fundamental principle: tackle the hard tasks, and life becomes manageable; pursue the easy path, and life grows complicated.

If you aspire to be a diligent worker, eschew excuses. Challenge yourself. Disregard those who say something isn’t necessary if you know it must be done. Persevere, regardless of immediate results. The focus should be on the journey of transforming into the person capable of fulfilling your dreams.

Chapter 3: The Power of Persistence

I recently watched Russell Brunson's course on building an email list, where he shared his early endeavors. Back in the early 2000s, upon discovering the effectiveness of email marketing, he decided to "hack" the system. He purchased an email list of a million contacts, and when the CD containing the emails arrived (yes, it was that long ago), he told his wife to quit her job, convinced he would become a millionaire.

He set everything up, which was far more complex than it is today, and began sending out emails promoting a $5 digital product just before bedtime. When he woke up, he discovered that 6,000 emails had been sent, but a few hundred recipients had marked him as spam. He humorously recalls that he "could have had a better morning."

His internet provider promptly shut down his business email account, and the money spent on that million-email list vanished. Later that day, he had a revelation: he'd sent out 6,000 emails without checking for sales.

When he finally checked his PayPal account set up for this venture, he found a modest $95 balance. "Wow! I messed up, and it still worked!" he thought. From that moment on, he dedicated substantial time and energy to building his email list, even hiring a marketing coach to guide him.

"It was a slow and painful journey, watching the list grow at a snail's pace before gradually gaining momentum." Around that time, Google AdSense was released, and suddenly, many of Russell's friends—some with minimal knowledge of online business—were making significant profits.

Russell nearly abandoned his email list strategy, thinking, "Why waste time on this when I can do that?" But his coach urged him to remain committed. "Don't pursue shiny objects," he advised. "The money's in the list."

Today, Russell Brunson, founder of ClickFunnels, boasts over 2 million subscribers on his email list. He asserts that savvy entrepreneurs earn about a dollar per subscriber each month. "But I'd be disheartened if I only made a dollar per subscriber at this stage," he concludes.

Final Thoughts

"The only thing that sets me apart is that I’m not afraid to outlast you. I will not be outworked. You might possess more talent, intelligence, or attractiveness than I do, but when we compete, there are two outcomes: you’ll quit first, or I’ll be the one who falls." — Will Smith

The first video titled "4 Reasons Hard Work DOES NOT Beat Talent" examines the misconceptions around talent versus hard work, emphasizing the importance of persistence.

The second video, "This Is What You Do If You Have No Talent," provides actionable steps for anyone feeling talentless, reinforcing that hard work can overcome a lack of innate ability.