Working smart over working hard

There's a big difference between working hard and working smart. Working hard doesn't guarantee success but working smart increases the probability of one succeeding. If one works hard without strategizing, one will just to tolling in vain.

I love to see people working hard. I find it endearing, commendable and inspiring. However, working hard is only one of the many ingredients in the recipe for success but not the whole.

For example, when a student studies hard, he or she works hard but does not study smart. He or she undergoes unnecessary suffering by staying up late to read for hours, and seeing his or her friends having fun. Possibly the student barely sleeps and when he goes to school, he is already exhausted and on the brink of collapsing. But despite all this, he gains good grades. But it's another ball game after graduating.

Athletes who train rigorously also work hard but do not always win medals. Some train for years, pouring their blood sweat and tears into their craft and still, they never medal.

The difference between working hard and working smart is that one can be smart in how he or she approaches his work. One can be precise and methodical in going about his business without making things complicated or uncomfortable for himself or herself and yet achieve success.

It's working smart that separates the winners from losers because there is only so much you can get done by working hard alone.

Every year, thousands of young men and women graduate from high school and enrol in various universities within and outside Nigeria. I read a recent statistic that said about 50% of those who are admitted to higher institutions fail to complete their first year.

I find that figure appalling but I believe it has something to do with a lack of discipline. Working hard without strategizing is like walking on a road without knowing where one is going. The chances of getting there are very low. Many young people are being spoon-fed with the idea that "if you work hard, you'll definitely make it". This can be very misleading because one's overall success in life is largely determined by the knowledge one possesses on how to work smart while working hard.

One cannot smart hard if he/she isn't sure of the objective she wants to achieve, the obstacles she'll meet and the ways she can overcome them. People can't work hard every day without having a plan to achieve something. So, before embarking on any project or career path, one should have a goal and a plan to achieve it. That plan should be realistic and achievable otherwise, he/she will be caught up in a vicious cycle of procrastination, excuses making and motivation lacking.

The best entrepreneurs know that it's not enough to work hard but also have to be smart. Working hard by itself can't guarantee success but working smart raises the probability of success.

The most successful entrepreneurs are the ones who work smart and not just hard. The ones who work smart think strategically and know how to maximize their efforts.

They know that hard work doesn't mean anything if it's not combined with intelligent and strategic efforts. And the great thing is that everyone can do this! Everyone can become a smarter worker if they want to.

Everyone can strategize and maximize their efforts and become more productive as a result. It all begins by first planning to know what to do next and what's the best way to go about it.

All one needs to do is take some time out of their day, plan ahead, and dedicate some time to thinking about what to do (not just doing). This will free up some brainpower for strategizing and making informed decisions on one's goals.

Think about what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, where you need to do it, how it needs to be done, who needs to do it and what resources are needed for it.

This will help you stay focused on your tasks as well as help you order your priorities in an orderly manner.

Paying attention to details like this will take your working smart game to the next level.

Thanks for Reading! 😎💚✔