Essential Skills – The Lost Art of Effort

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Essential Skills – The Lost Art of Effort

As we near the New Years I think we need to revisit a concept that is quickly getting lost. It is called …effort.

Effort- Noun

A vigorous or determined attempt.
The result of an attempt.

It seems the many have forgotten what effort is and do their best to avoid it.  They are looking for the easy way out. The magic pill. The fastest answer. The cheapest option. The truth is that success, happiness and health are not quick, easy and cheap. You have to work for them.

There seems to be more and more aversion to effort. Notice that in the definition of effort, it states it is a VIGOROUS attempt. Not a try. Not a shot. Not a chance. Not just an attempt. Effort is giving something everything you have in order to get a result.

Yes you can put massive amounts of effort into the wrong direction and get no results. It happens. Yes it will waste time and effort. Yes it will be frustrating. Yes it will feel like crap.

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Does that mean you should avoid putting in that kind of effort?

My opinion is this. No effort is ever wasted even if you don’t get results. Every effort gives you information about the next direction to go. The mindset that you MIGHT waste effort so you don’t do anything until you are 100% certain it a mindset of failure.

So why do people not put in the effort they should?  Let me give you a few reasons I have heard.

What if I really try and still fail?

I want to find the easiest way.

I just need a little more information/knowledge before I get started.

It is hard.

It might hurt.

I will look stupid.

I need to be certain.

There might be a better way.

Each one of these is an example of what successful people do NOT do.  These excuses for not putting in the effort to get what you want will always keep you trapped in the life you have now.

I was reading a Facebook post today from a guy who wrote out all his goals. He is going to tape them to his shower to remind him every day and do the same with a list of affirmations. Sounds like a good plan right? The problem is that none of this changes his mindset. He is not using effort. He is using force to try and overpower his current mindset.

There is a difference between using effort and using force. Using force is when you are trying to overcome resistance. It is like having to kick open a locked door by kicking it over and over again until it breaks. How you have forced the door open and even walked through it but… most likely what you find is something else you need to use force on. Effort is different. Effort is using the key that opens that door and then heading vigorously through it.

Force is using endless affirmations to counter your negative thoughts. Effort is making the changes that remove those negative thoughts.

Force changes nothing. Effort teaches you everything.

So many people mistake force for effort. They think because they are spending time and energy that they are making an effort to get somewhere. Effort consists of several things.

Research- Whatever you want to do make sure you have the information that allows you to succeed.

Planning- Have a plan that follows what your research has guided you to even if it differs from your original direction.

Action- Move fully into your plan without hesitation with 100% commitment.

Adjustment- Realize that all good plans will change when action is taken. The real world is different than the imagined one and you will only be able to make accurate adjustments if you are moving with 100% commitment.

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