The Secret to Making Work Feel Effortless

Whenever Mom called me during my "work" hours, her favorite question was, "Are you working hard or hardly working?"

Gotta love her sense of humor and the classic "dad joke" repetition – at least most of the time!

Let's be real, though. How many of us are genuinely motivated by the idea of "hard work" in the long run?

"Just work hard!" "Embrace the suck!" "Just do it or you lose!" "Don't be lazy!"

Seriously, what truly motivates us? And how do we sustain that motivation for the long haul?

If "hard" means something done with a great deal of effort, demanding, and filled with obstacles, it's no wonder slacking off, retirement, or quitting seems appealing.

I recently dove into a book that preached "work harder," "master yourself," and "kill the little bitch inside," and guess what? I walked away significantly LESS motivated.

BUT, there's a shift in perspective that works wonders for me – a third way when motivation or direction feels lacking.

And here's the answer to Mom's age-old question:

Are you working hard or hardly working?

Neither! I'm making progress on important things.

The aha moment? Most of us want to get stuff done. We want to organize chaos, nurture growth, and construct meaningful things. We're wired to desire progress.

We just don’t want hard… at least for long. We do, however love to get things done we care about.

We ask ourselves, "Am I doing something that matters?" and "Am I making progress on something that's worthwhile?"

Here are two ways forward when you feel either unmotivated or stuck:

When unmotivated... Maybe you're tempted to do anything but work.

Ask: Why am I doing this? What's the purpose behind making progress? What will doing this help me achieve? Is progress worth it?

(If there's no purpose, should you be doing it?)

When stuck... Maybe it feels complicated, difficult, or unfamiliar.

Ask: What is one simple step I can take to make progress?

Stop working hard. Instead, - Make Meaningful Progress.

You really can genuinely reach your dreams and goals! (even this year!)

Is 2024 your time to enjoy MAKING PROGRESS? (And savoring the journey?)

With you and for you,

Coach Jeff

PS. SAVE THE DATE: Friday, February 23: “Annual Goals Retreat” held in person in Arvada, Colorado at the foot of the Rockies! Details coming soon!