Thursday 24 January 2013

The Hard, Simple, and Joyfulness of Great Work

A few years ago my wife and I completed the restoration of a 100 year old property that took us several years part time.  We cried as our friends and family shared the joy of the finished product.  It was amazing to see the old house with a fresh coat of paint they said. 

What was unmentioned was the untold hours of back breaking work and the preparation to get ready to put on the finishing touches of a coat of paint on that made our home look so grand.

All great work is like this.

I meet many sales people today not making enough sales.  I know why their sales are down.  Not enough preparation in the hard work of building relationships and giving value in advance and therefore insufficient number of appointments.

I meet many people with great ideas that are unexecuted.  I know why.  It takes a lot of energy to turn information into insight into inspiration that can turn an idea into innovation.

I meet lots of business owners not grasping the great opportunties that downturns present.  I know why. These folk are doing what they have always done and therefore are being out done by those working harder and particularly wiser.

I have a crest in my office.  The Latin words underneath translate “Nothing without labour”

We believe this was the creed of our family from a very, very long time ago.  Marketing people never invented tag lines!  Whether it is our families credo or not I certainly learned the value of hard work from an early age.  Barely a teenager with my brother four years younger, we built our family home (all except the bricks and tiles on the roof) with our parents and with our bare hands.  I remember once my football coach saying to my Father  “Your boy has a great work ethic.” My father surprised at the remark simply replied “He knows the value of hard work.”

Do you really know the true value of hard work?

Working hard is the first step to success. The second is to follow a simple path.
I know none simpler than having the right intentions, overcoming resistance, having great products/services that help other people achieve what they want (thank you Zig Ziglar).

How simple is your path?

Working hard and following a simple path need to be wrapped in joy.

One of the most profound statements I have ever heard comes from the book The Radical Leap by Steven Farber.  He says “Do what you love in the service of people who love what you do”

Are you doing this?

I woke up this morning as I do every morning ready to work hard. I know that nothing of value is created or delivered without labour.  I also know life is actually simple.  We have made it complicated.  I know too that joy is in the moment.  Joy is an attitude, an intention, that we can bring to each moment. As Eckhart Tolle so wonderfully observed “Stress is caused by being 'here' but wanting to be 'there'.

Grasp your mantle right now.  Bring your best self to each moment.  When you fail, learn and go again. Work hard, follow a simple path, be joyful.

And be the difference you want to see in the world.
Ian
Creator of the Enhancing Their Gifts System - the fast track to becoming a change champion.
Easy to implement.
People focused.
ROI tangible, not just talk.

Experience the system first hand here.


2 comments:

Pits said...

Ian, you've recently come on to my radar via a very good friend & author of 'KnowingDoingWinning', Kwai Yu. I should have read his book immediately I got it instead of 'popping it on the shelf for later'! I've enjoyed reading your blog and in my mind I saw another title: CHANGE IS NORMAL...get used to it! GB V

Ian Berry said...

Thank you for stopping by Pits and yes Change is normal for most unconsciously For a growing number conciously