The Magic In Working Hard

Do you believe in magic? Do you think it's possible to buy an ebook for $27 that will have you making $15,000 in the next 30 days? Do you expect to start a new part-time business today and replace your full-time job in two weeks? Do you hope that one tiny little pay-per-click Internet ad will turn your website into a six-figure income?

It's frustrating how our “work smarter” push-button society has almost completely obscured the true opportunities to achieve business success for many. Moreover, those of us who truly understand what it takes to succeed must work twice as hard just to prove that we’re worthy of achievement.

So, let’s forget the pipe dreams and look at what's really needed to make our businesses grow into thriving, honest and reputable companies. Granted, it is sometimes difficult to remain completely honest in everything we do...especially online. It can be so easy to exaggerate the truth and make a quick $100, but the potential backlash is just too great a risk.

I looked at some trends of the past and found that people of the 1800s were definitely not afraid of hard work. Not at all. In fact, it practically never entered their minds to be lazy. If someone in the community showed a tendency towards laziness, a stigma was attached to the individual - he or she was considered abnormal and wound up as an outcast. Even as late as the 40s and 50s, people that didn't work hard to support their families were considered "trash."

By the 1990s, however, it seems that the person who doesn't want to work, lives on welfare and sponges off someone else who has to work two jobs just to get by, is considered "cool” or “slick”. State governments have spent millions of dollars trying to motive those types to go out and find real, honest work.

At times, employers can also contribute to all the madness. Hard working people are sometimes considered "strange" or "indifferent" in the workplace, while other less motivated folk simply coast along. No wonder it appears as though the hard working are always fighting an uphill battle.

Getting something for nothing is rarely as rewarding as it sounds, though. Sure, you can cheat the welfare system and get free benefits for a while, but you will be exposed at some point. And yes, you could go to work for 8 hours and spend 6 of those hours on coffee breaks just to get a paycheck every Friday, but eventually someone will notice.

You may even be able to get away with running scams or other crimes for some time, but they will only temporarily meet your needs. And in the end, this type of thinking has no upside. It usually only leads to trouble and more desperation. Without question, trying to get through life on the sweat of others will never buy you security, pride or self-respect.

On the other hand, hard work pays off. Financial rewards may not come as quickly as robbing a bank, but you will reap more money and benefits in the long haul. And remember, money is not everything. You cannot buy the kind of respect and personal rewards afforded to someone who runs his or her business honestly and has peace-of-mind, or to people who always work long, hard hours to ensure repeat business.

However, the big payoff comes when word gets out that you're hard working, honest and trustworthy. People will notice your work ethic and tell others. Hands down, respect is more valuable than money because of the word of mouth advertising and repeat business that it brings.

For example, is respect one of the first things that come to mind when you think of Howard Hughes? Sure, he was worth billions, but does that really mean anything to you? Now, how about men like Thomas Edison and Martin Luther King?

Take a minute and think about some of your own heroes. Do you really care how much money they had? Don't you remember them for their hard work, dedication and the great things they accomplished? And for most of us, some of our heroes not only had these wonderful traits, but also had big bank accounts to boot! Right?

No doubt about it, working hard and being honest is the surest path to nearly all of life’s rewards. And if you hope to build a business that rewards you year after year, you had better take a close hard look at what you’re putting into it. Are the people around you happy? What are customers saying about you? Are they returning for your business? Why or why not? And until you’re comfortable with the answers to these questions, hold your head up high and always put in an honest day’s effort because the rewards are many, and it works like magic.