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Browse: Home / working hard is not the same thing as hard work.

working hard is not the same thing as hard work.

By tara gentile on 08/19/2010

When I look around the net at all the women & men aspiring to live the life of your dreams, I see everything that I am not. I see you reading & learning & caring about the fine details of how to succeed. I see you “doing things right” because you’re preparing. And it’s hard work.

When I think of you, I feel very subconscious.

I can feel like I’m not enough. Like I’m fluke. Like I don’t know enough. I feel like there’s something missing in my daily routine.

I work hard – but it’s not hard work.

Could I be more successful if I made my work hard? Could I earn more if things were more difficult? Could this business be larger, more expansive, more influential if I worked at the things that were hard?

No, I’ve found my easy.

And when you find your easy, you realize that the work isn’t hard. It’s challenging, it’s uncomfortable, it’s time-consuming, it’s boundary pushing. But it’s not hard.

Of course, I could be more successful. I will be more successful. But it won’t be because of any one book (unless it’s the one I write…) or because of one coaching session or because of any specific knowledge. The hard work of learning what to do and how to do it doesn’t make you successful. All the money in the world can’t buy the real key to finding success:

ACTION.

What is one thing you can act on today to make a difference in your journey towards your goals?

PS I’ve just released an update to my last ebook – Storytelling for Creative Biz Success. Only, I’ve changed the title – so now it’s How to Sell with a Story. I’m working on additional updates for the near future but in this FRESH version, you’ll see a whole new easy-to-read layout, updated chapter on writing Stress Free About Pages, and a video with me explaining my about page best practices! Click here to learn how to leverage your own story to generate more sales & shape your biz!


PPS I’ve also just released that oh-so-popular chapter on about pages as a separate guide! For just $10, you can have my technique for writing compelling, engaging “about pages” and bios without stress or hives. Click here to buy Stress Free About Pages.

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Posted in Announcements, Big Thinking | Tagged about page, action, storytelling | 5 Responses

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Last reply was 631 days ago
  1. Brigitte
    View 637 days ago

    Every day I read another post re-affirming that I don’t need to be best at everything, I simply need to focus at what I can rock — and enjoy! When I was in PR, I thought it was sooo unfortunate that I hated it, because I was good at it. Now I spend my days working on a model of the business that takes the parts I love (strategy, brainstorming, writing) and loses the parts I hate (pitching on behalf of clients).

    It’s funny that you just updated Storytelling, because my one action today was to print out the PDF I had of it, so I can work on it during my lunch hour.

    Reply
    • tarareplied:
      View 636 days ago

      Hey Brigette! There is room for all of us to profit with our businesses if we just focus on doing what we love & “rock.” That’s what’s so cool! It’s good for you AND it’s good for others.

      Reply
  2. Kat
    View 636 days ago

    Oh wow… I can’t tell you how great it was to read this. I was recently laid off, and just couldn’t see myself going back into the industry I was working in. I decided to start a blog, and an eco-friendly accessories business and although, it is hard work, I am loving every second.
    Many thanks and keep working hard! :-)

    Reply
    • tarareplied:
      View 636 days ago

      Hi Kat! It’s a great affirmation, right?! Keep working hard, yourself!

      Reply
  3. Cody @ Reclaimed Marketplace
    View 631 days ago

    Tara,

    Very well put I loved reading this this morning. I have always lived by the motto “do what you love and the money will follow.” Yet it is so easy to have it backwards sometimes. I just read your previous post “big changes…” and It is always a welcomed reminder that once you know what you love, or what comes “easy” to you, the hard part is allowing yourself to go for it!

    Thanks for the reminder this morning it helps a ton I am new here and thoroughly enjoy reading.

    Thanks
    Cody

    Reply
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