Somewhere along the line the desire for achievement without effort came into play. “Smarter not harder” became a kind of motto. Nowhere is this more evident than in many of the metaphysical theories of manifestation that suggest that no physical action need to be implemented when the right mind set is in place. Ironically what actually needs to be injected into this mix is a healthy dose of “smart”. The truth of the matter is that “smart” has little to do with clinging blindly to phrases, concepts and theories. “Smart” is all about taking in the reality of the situation and observing the most appropriate way of action.

The best way is not always the easiest way, nor is it necessarily the hardest.

Essentially, the best way will often be the way that gets the job done.

Creating aversion to hard work has nothing to do with intelligence, smartness or positive results. Aversion is aversion and it is an unclear mind that seeks to justify this aversion through creating slogans and excuses. A smart mind is a critical and analytical mind. It is a mind of judgment and needs to be capable and ready of breaking down any obstacles that are limiting achievement. Nine times out of ten these obstacles are ones of our own making.

Intelligence only has real power if it serves a real purpose. Otherwise it is simply like a computer, a number cruncher but unable to create or find any real meaning or fulfillment. As soon as the mind believes that hard work is bad and needs to be avoided like the plague, then it has created its own stupidity. From this point on every time it sees hard work it doesn’t recognize it as a true opportunity for achievement. The limitations on potential become massive. Effective intelligence recognizes what needs to be done, then reflects on what resources are needed to get the job done. It is not about hard, it is not about easy – it is about results.

This perspective shifts the entire paradigm of hard and easy. The reason for this is because the mind understands the purpose. The shift goes from one of avoiding hard work and seeking the easy, to finding the path of results. Fulfillment then comes from achieving these results, rather than simply finding an easy way to achieve lesser or no results. This process purifies the mind also. “Hard” and “easy” are relative and they are perceptions. The more that we avoid hard work, the harder it becomes. The more that we just do it, the easier it becomes.

It is this shift that brings a realization of what “working smarter” is really about. “Smarter” truly is more about getting these beliefs of “its all too hard” out of our heads. These beliefs more than anything, are what make the work really hard.

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