‘’Nothing good comes without a bit of work.’’ ‘’Success in life takes work.’’ You have most likely heard different variations of these statements at one point or the other, usually with the qualifier ‘’hard’’ preceding the word ‘’work.’’
The idea that there is a method to how work can be carried out holds that, you can either work hard or work smart. You may have heard someone being described as a smart-working person. Does it mean the person does not work hard? On the other hand, does it mean that a hard-working person does not work smart? What, really, is the difference between the two?
Hard-Working Vs Smart-Working
Between these two, you’d probably find it easier to define hard-working than smart-working. Working hard involves putting in hours of toil and effort in order to be successful. It is considered the cornerstone of achievement; everybody knows that you need to work hard to achieve your goals in life. The problem is that working hard does not necessarily guarantee success. Some people have worked hard at achieving a goal, yet failed. Others might be working hard by doing the same thing over and over again without trying to be efficient.
When it comes to working smart, the emphasis seems to be on making the right decisions, working more efficiently and utilizing resources to deliver results in the quickest possible time, and unlock potential. It is all about making smart choices such as developing good money management habits, saving time and effort and reaching goals faster.
A lot of people believe that smart work produces better outcomes. However, although there may be a difference between working hard and working smart, the line between them may not be clearly defined.
Can You Be Hard-Working and Smart-Working?
One may wonder if the two are necessarily mutually exclusive. A lot of successful people today did not only work hard to be where they are, they also made smart decisions and over time it all translated into success. It is true that putting in long hours does not necessarily lead to success. That being said, there is the possibility that the choices involved in working smart take time to master. Today, being hard-working may represent the conventional way of doing things in a time when you can now multi-task and rely on various resources and build capabilities to make smarter choices. Perhaps you should be working hard and smart, in stead of choosing between hard-working and smart-working.
