Many people say that you should work hard if you want to succeed in life and rise to riches. I'd rather say that working hard will only make your boss richer, not yourself. On the other hand, there is an age-old adage which says that you should be working smarter, not harder. But working smarter is a vague idea, and I'm interested to hear what people have to say on this topic. As far as I'm concerned, I think that working smart comes down to creating environment where you will have more chances to meet Lady Luck smiling at you, where you will be able to hit a lucky strike because luck plays an ever-important role in our lives. For example, if you want to find a date to have a romantic relationship with or you are looking for a one-night stand only, you will go to a beach or a bar since your chances are higher there, right? The same approach seems to be applicable to work as well. In other words, stick around the places where your chances of success are the highest.
So share your opinions here, guys. What is your practical take on working smart?
You may be able to get what you wanted when you work hard but you can get the same reward when you work smart with a little less work. One of the things that I can compare with working hard and working smart is having a job. When you work hard, you just focus on finishing your job on time and when you get your salary, you just spend as much as what you have received because you know there will be a next paycheck. When you work smart, upon receiving your salary, you save a little amount and invest in another source of income and then later on, you will have bigger income and if possible if you have bigger passive income and can live off with it, you can stop working for others and work for your business.
A person working hard may be able to travel because of his pay check but a person working smart will be able to travel as well because of his income from his business and what is more rewarding is that the one who work smart own his time but the one who work hard has a time limit.
I would say, hard work does not alone lead to success, smart work supports to achieve the milestone aimed to. Smart work indeed required now as everyone is rushing towards the same destination, its the one who gets near soon. So think and work smart. I do come across hard worker and smart worker everyday in my office. I do see smart worker get relaxed in completing tasks given then people still working hard to finish the task given. If really up to individuals experience i would say.
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I think it has to be the balance of two. Nothing can beat hardwork but it has to be from the heart, with sincerity and passion. It's for yourself not for others. At the same time, you have to be smart in dealing with different obstacles at work, smart enough to decide and manage time, to have your hardwork paid off and rewarded. Success is a result of combined attributes.