It’s not worth the exertion

I am a believer in hard work. I think no one deserves anything unless they are willing to work for it. Most of the things of value carry with them an equivalent amount of effort that went into creating them. That is why we should not be deceived when we see a display of excellence or someone around us doing something seemingly effortlessly. There is always a vast amount of effort, real labour, that goes into achieving great feats. That said, the reason something is successful is not necessarily because of the exertion of energy. If working harder means getting more, then those who labour like oxen should be the most successful and the wealthiest. However, you and I know that is not the case.

I feel bad when I see people work so hard, labouring night and day, just to get less. If you do not really understand how things work, you will think this life is unfair to those in that category. Nevertheless, I have learnt that each person is rewarded based on what their effort is worth and that has nothing to do with the size of the effort but the value of the effort. Have you ever wondered why employers prefer to pay people based on time? It is because everyone’s effort per unit time is not worth the same. You and I are paid differently per hour because the value of our effort in the marketplace is not the same.
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You probably wonder where this discussion is going. Instead of working harder and harder, perhaps we should sit back and ask how we can increase the value of our effort in time. If your effort is worth more, you will not need to labour so hard. How well we do in the marketplace depends on how valuable we are. Gaining much has less to do with exertion. It has more to do with how much our effort is worth, and your effort is worth only as much as the marketplace is willing to pay for it. When we become more valuable, our time becomes an expensive commodity for others to buy. Before increasing your energy level, ask if it is worth the exertion.

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Actions for the week

1. Evaluate the effort you are putting into your work, business or project. Can you improve the value of the effort? Is there anything you can do smarter?
2. Identify two ways by which you can increase your own value. Can you learn something new, attend a training session or have a new experience?
3. Strive to become more valuable, thereby increasing your worth in the marketplace

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A quote to remember
Always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. — Author Unknown

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Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent
​Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books