I had a conversation the other day, and a good friend caught me when I said people just need to work harder. We were discussing the ills of society, and my off-the-cuff remark about people needing to work harder just set him off. He said not to give him that crap about pulling oneself up by their bootstraps. Lots of people work hard and struggle and are not successful. He was right; my flippant remark was far too simplistic for the complexities of reality. In my mind, I realized I often use shortcuts when communicating, and in this case, I did not mean that hard work alone is sufficient. What I meant to say was against the opposite point, mainly that laziness will get you nowhere.

Aside from defining success, which we can define as a goal that you have set for yourself, some might consider success to have a meaningful life, others that elusive house on a hill, or simply the ability to go fishing on Saturday mornings. However, for this purpose let us set aside the definition of success. I wasn’t even responding to what it takes to be successful. I was talking about what it takes for people to be functional and contributing members of society.

I often emphasize the importance of using words precisely, and I typically select my words carefully for that purpose. However, I failed to do so in this instance. It’s an area I am continually striving to improve upon, but often in the heat of conversation, my precision falters, leading to miscommunication. Recognizing the need to listen more attentively and ask more questions is essential for enhancing my ability to communicate with nuance and clarity. In fact, I’m currently reading about how to foster meaningful conversations through inquiry to address this challenge. Needless to say, I fell short on that particular day. We are all works in progress, and it’s important to forgive ourselves for our failures and persist in our efforts to improve.

Now, I am seizing the opportunity to craft a thoughtful response, where I have the time and space to be precise and clear. This moment allows me to carefully consider my words, to work and reword my response until it accurately reflects what I truly mean. With this opportunity to express myself deliberately, I can ensure that my message resonates effectively and avoids any potential misunderstandings.

He was correct; hard work alone does not guarantee success. It necessitates making wise choices, sacrificing in the present for future benefits, and being prepared for opportunities to arise. Even if you fulfill all these criteria, there is no certainty of positive outcomes; rather, there exists a spectrum of probabilities. In life’s complexity, we must abandon the notion of 100% guaranteed outcomes. We need to shift our mindset and recognize that actions carry a likelihood of various outcomes, rather than a predetermined guarantee. Opting for inaction increases the likelihood of failure or falling short of “success” or becoming a contributing member of society.

Hard work, wise choices, and sacrifice serve as essential components in our journey towards progress, but they must intersect with opportunity for true advancement to occur. However, it’s crucial to recognize that hard work alone may not always lead us in the direction of our defined criteria for success. We might find ourselves toiling diligently but without alignment to our goals. Similarly, sacrificing for the wrong things or making choices that appear wise on the surface but do not propel us forward can hinder rather than facilitate our progress. Therefore, it’s imperative not only to engage in these efforts but also to remain discerning and adaptable, ensuring that our actions align with our aspirations and lead us towards our desired outcomes.

Also, we need to consider that Opportunity is fickle; she does not show up predictably, requiring us to be in a state of readiness for when she does appear. We all know missed opportunities are unlikely ever to come again. You don’t know if or when she will show up. You have to be in a position to take advantage of it. You have to set the stage for opportunity with hard work, wise choices, and sacrifices.  All kinds of unexpected opportunities show up in our lives, and we are not in a position to take advantage of them.  Even opportunities we never imagined. For me the opportunity to teach a class came up.  I was not planning to ever teach, but the opportunity arose and I took advantage of it. 

Alternatively, we have the power to generate our own opportunities. If opportunity does not present itself to us, and we cannot maneuver ourselves into a position where it naturally arises, we can proactively seek to create opportunities, both for ourselves and for others. I firmly believe that as members of society, we ought to strive towards fostering environments where individuals can work hard, make wise choices, and sacrifices to achieve their goals. This endeavor transcends the constraints of finite games; instead, it requires adopting an infinite mindset.

Why sacrifice? Well, I think we have to have some skin in the game. We can’t expect to have it handed to us on a silver platter. Sheila Johnson is a great exemplar for us. She had everything going against her. She had poor grades, and when she took the SATs, her score was too low to get in on merit. She had a teacher who helped her apply for a music scholarship, and she was able to get it. Her parents had to mortgage the house to get her a violin, and that, along with the countless hours of practice (hard work), put her in a place to get an education that put her in closer proximity to opportunity.

She went on to be a founder of the Black Entertainment Network. It ended up that she had to sell her precious violin, which had a ton of sentimental value (make a sacrifice), in order to pay the rent for BET offices. The network was later sold, and she became a multi-millionaire. Hard work, wise choices, and sacrifice allowed her to take advantage of opportunities. And she has since created opportunities for others with hundreds of scholarships.  She is truly an exemplar for us.  

While hard work alone may not suffice for success, it remains an indispensable component of the journey. Though it does not promise a certain outcome, hard work significantly enhances the likelihood of achieving one’s goals. On the contrary, there are unmistakable guarantees for failure. Those who opt not to exert themselves, make imprudent decisions, and shun sacrifices are bound to falter. Such individuals not only jeopardize their own prospects but also fail to contribute meaningfully to society. This truth holds irrespective of one’s initial advantages, as echoed in the proverb, “A fool and his money are soon parted” (Proverbs 21:20). Thus, while hard work does not offer absolute assurance, its absence virtually ensures stagnation and irrelevance.

The Lifestyle of an Infinite Mindset | Simon Sinek

Reflection

• How has this post challenged your perspective on the role of hard work in achieving success?
• Reflecting on the guarantees mentioned in the post, what adjustments might you make in your approach to work, decision-making, and sacrifice?
• In what ways can you apply the concept of creating opportunities for yourself and others in your own life and community, considering the discussion in the post?

Resources

Five Leadership Lessons: How To Build An Infinite Mindset https://www.forbes.com/sites/sap/2019/04/18/five-leadership-lessons-how-to-build-an-infinite-mindset/