The dreams are free, but the hustle is sold separately!
The Problem
The hustle and the hard work — are like two people who never liked me enough to be more than just acquaintances with me.
It’s not that I’ve not courted them. But, they remain acquaintances. Giving me a visit once every week. And that’s when I’m lucky.
So what is it? Am I just a lazy bum? Destined for mediocrity — languishing in my all-important Instagram doom scrolls, and Netflix and chills?
The Dream
Dreams stay in your head, rent-free. And while it’s still in your head, the dream has potential. It’s beautiful. It’s lofty. It’s everything you’ve ever wanted.
But the moment you work on it, it starts becoming real. And reality, is well, devoid of the pinkish hues of your rose tinted glasses.
The Reality
Reality is much more dull & drab. Sometimes mundane. Sometimes overwhelming. Sometimes things just don’t turn out your way.
And, you know, that that’s a very real possibility.
The Procrastination
It’s not that you’re avoiding hard work. It’s not that you’re not ambitious enough.
It’s just that every step takes you closer to that-thing not working out.
You almost know that it’s not going to work out.
So, why work on it?
When, in your head — it can stay — as a beautiful promise of that promised outcome that is rightfully yours.
When, in your head — it can stay — as what it really is — a Fantasy.
Why Is Work Hard?
Work is simultaneously many things.
Satisfying & Boring.
Easy to accomplish & Challenging.
What it’s definitely not, is — comfortable.
It’s twisted. Just like this diagram below. It takes you on a roller-coaster ride. And, that’s what makes it hard.
You start a new project. You face problems.
You aren’t good at it.
You don’t like not being good at it.
It takes longer than you thought to get good at it.
Basically —You suck!
Whenever you think of doing it. You’re faced with this reality.
So you want to crawl back into familiarity. Into comfort.
That’s basically recipe for no growth.
And the effort it takes to come back at work, without getting any reward is what makes Work Hard.
Failure is also “Done”
The road to achieving your dreams is long, and paved with many milestones — each a different kind of failure.
But you know what failure isn’t? It’s not a dream. It’s work —done!
And, hence, a step closer to the said dream.
Honestly, if you’re not doing your worst —you either have spent your life doing it, or none of it. And you don’t need to be Einstein to know which one’s better!
There Are No Guarantees
Don’t try to predict the future. 99% of your ideas may not work. But guess what? It doesn’t matter.
Because you can’t control that. What you can control — is your work.
What you can control is — your readiness to face failure. Not once. Not twice. But, maybe a hundred times!
Because I urge you, not to Do Your Worst, once or twice; but forever and ever. And in doing so, abandon the fear of failure, and hence, stop the procrastination!