The number one rule you’ll hear all the time when it comes to completing a goal is to work hard. You want to lose weight? Get a new qualification? Start your own business? It’s no easy feat, right?
And, of course, you do have to work hard. A big goal might be something you’ve never done before, something that takes time, and something that pushes you out of your comfort zone. Otherwise, it’s no longer a goal – it’s just the norm!
But what if I told you that ‘pushing yourself’ and ‘working hard’ can be overdone.
‘Working Hard’ Isn’t Always the Answer
As a child, you may have been told ‘just keep working hard and you’ll get there’, whether it come to school grades, or something later in life. You may have heard it from a boss or a colleague as well.
But it’s not really about just working hard. It’s about working smart. And what does that mean?
Well, what I am talking about here is if you know what you actually want, what you are passionate about then ‘working hard’ doesn’t feel like hard work.
If you aren’t passionate about what you do then it will definitely feel like hard work.
Tell-tale signs you are in the wrong place are that – your boss doesn’t appreciate you, you keep being overlooked for promotion, you are starting to NOT want to get up in the morning.
That is probably because it’s not where YOU want to be.
Follow Your Passions
One of the key questions I ask all my clients is, ‘What do you really want?’. You see, most people know what they DON’T want but they are much more unclear about what they actually want. They say things like, ‘Maybe I’d like this’ or ‘This would be OK’ or ‘I’d like to be rich’.
Why is this important? Here’s what you need to know, if you are not very clear about what you want, then you won’t get it. Now I don’t mean you need to know all the details, but you DO need to know what you want.
Do you want to run your own business in an area you really care about? Do you want to stand on a stage and share your story? Do you want to travel the world and live a digital nomad life? Perhaps for you it is about spending more time with family, or writing a book, or contributing to a charitable cause or leaving a legacy.
And that is all about what drives you, where your passion, your WHY is.
The difference is, when you start doing what you for a lesser reason, you won’t be able to stick with it. You’ll likely remain stuck, rather than moving forward.
It can be hard to know what you want. The people around you might have their own intentions in mind, and they might have become yours over time.
And then there are societal pressures as to what you ‘should’ do too, which can all confuse you or distract you from pursuing or even identifying your own passions and dreams.
But when you find a deep sense of satisfaction for what you do, you still work hard, but the difference is that you WANT to.
Self-Determination Is Key
You keep showing up, with clear intentions and plans, and you keep putting in the time into at you want. And the results? Well, they speak for themselves.
Once you know yourself, and know your purpose, you can start to identify what it is that you want. Then you work towards it, and take every step necessary to reach it.
You do work hard for it, once you’ve made a set plan and put your priorities straight. But you also remember your passion, and why you want what you want.
Looking For Inspiration?
How do I know that passion is needed for achieving goals? Because I’ve seen it happen with my own eyes, for many inspirational women. Women who have found their purpose, conquered their fears, and worked hard to get to a place they never thought they could reach before.
You can meet these women, and hear their words of wisdom (as well as more of my own!) by joining us at our next Strictly Come Speaking event – the final one of the year!
Come join us for FREE, by clicking here to secure your place. But hurry – seats are limited!
Cheryl xx
P. S – If you liked this blog and want to read more blogs surrounding female empowerment, you can find last week’s here: ‘A Butterfly Flying With Time‘
“I’m on a global mission to help 10 million disheartened souls, who are at a crossroads, to STOP asking why me? And START saying why not me!”