Here we go again. Just heard another person saying something that I would think he would have proven wrong by now, via his own experience and evaluation of it.
He says, “You want to know the secret of suceess? I’ll tell you what it is. It’s called HARD WORK. That’s it. That’s the secret.”
“Bull friggin roar,” I reply. “Take a look at your life, pal. You telling me the key to getting ahead is burying your head in the sand and pushing it further and deeper with each passing day?”
“Huh?” he grunts.
I continue to question: “You telling me your biggest breakthroughs weren’t ways to do something faster and easier and with less effort?”
“Yes, but hard work was the key,” he continues.
“Hard work is a good idea in the beginning, but eventually you are supposed to move on to a master’s degree and Ph.D. You’re not supposed to keep taking high school over and over again.”
The above is a reality I believe in because I’ve proven it to be true over and over. Every area of my life in which I got good at something, followed this same pathway of finding a smarter, easier and faster approach to accomplishing an objective. And every area where I continued to “work hard,” never amounted to a hill of coffee beans.
Does this mean I am opposed to “hard work?” Not at all. What I am opposed to is the lockdown mentality of thinking that hard work is a secret, or the only key. It’s not. Far from it.
Dan Gable said, “Constantly strive to make your wrestling as easy as possible.”
These are the words of an Olympic gold medalist and Olympic coach, who also believed in hard work. Even so, he worked hard at finding an easier way.
One of the biggest secrets of success that many people cannot wrap their minds around is the importance of REST. People truly think that if they rest they will miss out, fall behind and lose their skills. Yet the truth is that REST is usually where the gold lies. The answers to all your problems can be found when you STOP working hard all the time and spend more time playing.
This means you will almost always get your best ideas in the shower, while out for a walk, while sleeping or napping, or in between activities when you are NOT thinking.
When you are able to turn your “hard work” into PLAY TIME, you will make improvements, and sometimes these improvements are immediate.
You may not realize this, but in the original contract for Psycho-Cybernetics, Dr. Maltz’s projected title had the word “play” in it.
In sports we are encouraged to “play ball.” In life we are better off with this same mentality.
Take the scowl off your face. Un-furrow your brow.
Imagine a smile emanating from the “face behind your face.” Breathe deep and let your exhale go.
Keep an inner smile and a deep breath going as you “work.” In so doing, you’ll begin to get a glimpse into the act being prepared behind the curtain.
Notes:
1. Tomorrow I will be making an announcement about a new product that helps you to get more strength and healing out of your workout, with LESS work than you ever imagined.
2. For those of you who want to own one of the last printed copies of Combat Conditioning (two boxes left), make sure you do so NOW. Once all remaining print copies are gone, it will only be available digitally.
As a bonus for ordering NOW, I am also enclosing, at no additional charge, a copy of Kick Ass Take Names as well as one of those martial arts magazines in which I graced the cover. The magazine will be autographed with a blue Sharpie, my favorite color.
Anyway, time for me to run.
I’ll rap with you later.
Matt Furey
