Work Hard Or Work Smart?

Summary

• Most business owners work hard but focus on the wrong tasks.
• They often wonder why their efforts aren't yielding results.
• Effective work is defined as output, which equals volume multiplied by leverage.
• Volume refers to how many times you do a task.
• Leverage is how much you gain from each task repetition.
• You should work both smart and hard.
• Increased repetitions (volume) improve your skill.
• As your skill improves, you gain more leverage.
• This creates a virtuous cycle of doing more and getting better results.

Video

How To Take Action

I would suggest implementing these steps to get better results from your hard work:

First, identify the key tasks that truly drive your business forward. Focus on activities that directly impact revenue or growth. You want to maximize output, which is a combination of doing more (volume) and getting more from each action (leverage).

A good way of doing this is to look at which activities have the highest potential leverage. For instance, if cold calling potential clients has a big impact on sales, prioritize this. Start by making a lot of calls. The more you practice, the better you’ll get. Increased reps improve your skill, and better skill means higher conversion rates.

Next, track your progress. Measure how many times you’re doing each task and the outcomes. This helps in identifying what’s working and what’s not. Adjust your approach based on the results. If something isn’t yielding results, tweak your method or try a new strategy.

I would also suggest enhancing your leverage by improving your skills. This doesn’t have to be costly. Use free resources like YouTube tutorials, free online courses, or industry blogs to learn new techniques. Reading books and listening to podcasts in your industry can provide valuable insights.

Engage in smart networking. Connect with mentors or peers who have succeeded in your field. Their advice can help you avoid common pitfalls and learn more effective methods quickly. You can often find these people in online forums, industry groups, or local business meetups.

Lastly, consistently evaluate your tasks. Regularly ask yourself if the tasks you’re doing are producing the desired outcomes. Don’t be afraid to eliminate or delegate low-impact activities. This frees up your time to focus on what drives results.

By following these steps, you’ll start working smarter and harder, creating a cycle of continuous improvement and better results.

Full Transcript

the vast majority of business owners work a fair amount they just work on the wrong stuff and they do it the wrong way and so they get so little for their effort that they wonder when they're at home empty-handed in bed why isn't this working when I am working but if you define work at least the way I do which is output in order to get output it's volume times leverage so how many times you do the thing times how much you get for each time you do it and so that is the do you work smart or do you work hard it's you do both you do as many reps as you possibly again and you do it with the most leverage possible so if I make 100 phone calls The Leverage that I can have there would be how skilled I am but the only way you get skilled is by doing more inputs by working more and so it's this virtuous cycle of doing more and getting better and then you get more for what you do