Where does work fit in the big equation?

First, Let’s define work. Work is any mental or physical activity that is carried out to achieve a particular end result.

Today I want to talk about the role of work in relation to achieving one’s dreams and goals. Where does work really fit into this equation?

Let me answer you in a short story, just promise not to laugh.

So being so much into self-help, I got to learn about meditation and manifesting at a young age, 15 to be exact.

So meditation concentrates on quieting the mind, improving focus, concentration, and bringing one peace of mind but in particular visualization meditation focuses on helping one feel good and manifest their dream life and this was my favorite as you might already suspect.

Am big on making setting goals and seeing them come to pass. It’s always a very beautiful moment. Fulfilled with joy, happiness, excitement, and above all fulfillment.

So at 15, I read the secret by Rhonda Byrne, and that got me started on my manifestation journey. I didn’t know a lot about the law of attraction and other Universal Laws so all I had to work with was the Law of attraction.

But I learned a few things too well;

1. Whatever you focus on, you attract.
2.  Be and feel good now, that keeps you on a frequency of attracting good things to yourself. 

So I always made it a point to be and feel happy as often as I could and even when I couldn’t, I mastered how to cheer myself up and get back to feeling good almost immediately.

I also focused on thinking positively, speaking positively, and using affirmations daily.

Soon I was a master at the game. As the small wishes came true, this boosted my faith in my inner abilities and whatever I was doing – it was surely working. (The manifesting game) All was going well. Soon my big dream of the year came true – I scored 13 aggregates in my national Ordinary Level Examination finals. Exactly as I had envisioned.

I was so proud of myself. I could kiss myself if I would. It was an exhilarating moment. My confidence shot through the sky.

I now moved to manifesting bigger things. So this time I set bigger goals for myself. The first had come almost effortlessly. Now, these needed physical work but I was sticking to my old ways, putting in mostly mental work, the visualization meditation bit, and nothing much on the physical bit – I considered this a little too draining. And guess what.

I failed terribly! I was utterly dismayed, wondering how I got myself to this point.

It was then I realized you can’t think your dreams into existence!

You need to put in the work.

Give work its rightful place

You can visualize all day but remember you need to put in the work. You can think about becoming an author all day but if you don’t lift a pen to write, you’ll never become one.

That taught me that there are no shortcuts to this thing called life. If you want results, be ready to put in the work.

Meditation, visualization, motivation, prayer, and everything else are important yes, but they will never be a substitute for work.

You have got to learn to put work in its rightful place, if you are to succeed.

Forget all those talks of motivational speakers and self-help gurus who say going after your dreams doesn’t have to be hectic or feel like work.

Because one thing is sure, it’s not going to be easy, it’s going to be really tough some days more than others, yes and it’s going to feel like real work.

That doesn’t mean you aren’t the man for the job thou. That is just how it is supposed to be.

Work is work, and will never feel less than the work it is, no matter how big your passion or how high your qualifications are.

All I can assure you is the end result makes it worth it;- that should give you the strength to keep going.  

You can dream about building a house all day long but if you don’t get up and put in the work, you’ll never see a building up.

So if you are like me and were so excited about the fact that you can just visualize your dreams to existence, remember to accompany that with effort too, because wherever the effort goes, is where you will see the growth.

So yes, that is how I came to realize the importance of work in the manifestation of dreams and goals.

I now look back and wonder how on earth I ever thought I would make it without hard work in the picture and it totally beats my understanding.

But I guess that’s what happens when you grow up, things become clearer and the questions you once held in your mind when you were younger or less knowledgeable( about the topic in question) are answered.

Robert Frost said, “The reason why worry kills more people than work is that more people worry than work.”

Charles H. Spurgeon continued, “There is no fatigue so wearisome as that which comes from the lack of work.”

So take it from a person who has been there and done that, thinking I would make it without work.

That just is not how the world works. You will surely reap what you sow.

The Universal law of compensation states that you will be compensated according to your contribution and effort.  

I hope that you never forget that.

I love the words of Margaret Thatcher that go,

I don’t know anyone who has got to the top without hard work. That is the recipe. It will not always get you to the top but should get pretty near.

~Margaret Thatcher

I left you these beautiful quotes to keep you encouraged and motivated in your pursuit of success. May you never give up on hard and smart work, they will surely pay off one day.

Do something today that your future self will thank you for.

Wishing you the very best on your journey!