I’m admittedly old school. While I think it is crucial to take care of our health in all aspects—mentally, spiritually, and physically—I still believe that at times the only real way to get ahead is to outwork those around you. I’ve always known that I may never be the most talented person in the room, but I take immense pride in being the hardest working. Over the past few years, there has been much discussion about the “soft life” and rejecting “toxic” work styles. While I agree that there should be healthy limits, I often feel we are losing what is special about good old-fashioned hard work and being dedicated to pursuing excellence.
One of my favorite questions when we first opened The Gathering Spot was, “What else do you do?” I found the question laughable. I didn’t do anything else. Especially in that season before having a family, I was fully committed to my craft. I knew there were potential competitors better funded, with more resources, but I also knew they couldn’t take away my work ethic. I was willing to go places I wasn’t sure they were willing to go. I took pride in stealing hours on weekends and holidays to keep pushing the pace. I knew I would have an advantage if I could just bank time that my competitors didn’t use. That gap, as one of my heroes, Kobe Bryant, would often talk about, is a distance your competitors can’t overcome. Practicing two times a day every day creates 730 opportunities to improve versus 365.
When I study the greats in any field, especially in business or in the classroom, they all have the ability to get into this zone. It’s a place where you can completely pour yourself into solving a problem. It’s passion. When you work for reasons beyond money or notoriety, you often find success. Those with a passion for their craft, be it business, education, or any other field, are the ones who win. Work isn’t something they are ashamed of or look at with disdain. It’s an opportunity. One that I realize many people would love to have. So I feel it is my duty to do my best to be a good steward of whatever opportunity has been afforded to me.
As I said, everything is about balance, and burnout is a real issue. But you have to constantly evaluate if you are on the right side of the equation. I take pride in my work. It isn’t a burden to me, and because of that, I push myself to deliver the best results. I don’t mistake laziness for rest. Rest periods should be as intentional as periods of work if that is really what you are trying to accomplish.
I'll keep this short because it's the weekend, and those who understand what I'm talking about get it and need to get back to it. Those who don’t have probably closed their laptop for the weekend and won’t see this until next week. I hope they enjoy their vacation.
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