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Working Hard Does Not Produce Success

Are you working hard?

The economy in our country, and around the world, is still in serious trouble. I published an article three years ago that I think is even more relevant today than it was back in 2008.

So, I have reprinted that article for today’s post. There are also some links after the article that will take you to some really good related posts.

Have a great weekend!

Working Hard Does Not Produce Success

One of the pieces of advice about life that many young people hear is, “If you want to be successful and get ahead in life you need to work hard.” That advice means to get a good job and put your nose to the grindstone by working hard at it, and doing your best.

A lot of young people start out doing just that.  They really put forth a great effort and work hard, sometimes working long hours and weekends too.  They believe that being successful requires hard work, and they are willing to work as hard as they can so that they will be successful.

When things are not going as well as expected, many think that it is because they aren’t working as hard as they should, so they begin to work even harder.  Many people in their 40’s and 50’s have taken on a second job.  It certainly is a lot more work when you have two jobs than when you have just one job.  That is definitely working harder.

I remember someone once saying, “Learn to work smarter, not harder.”  What great advice that is.

I have nothing against hard work.  I enjoy working hard, putting all of my effort and energy into the project at hand. And, it is true that if you are going to be successful you do need to work hard.  But, if you look around you, it is evident that many people who have worked hard all their lives do not have enough means to enjoy their sunset years.

Plenty of people who have worked hard their whole lives are now struggling to support themselves.  So, they still work a job.  I’m willing to bet you that most of the over 60 crowd you see pouring your coffee at Denny’s, or greeting you at Wal-Mart, are not there by choice.    And yet, they worked hard all their life.  What happened?

Is there a deeper issue to consider?  It is very obvious that just working hard will not bring you success.  It is true; working smarter can be very advantageous.  But, it seems that something vitally important is often overlooked or dismissed.

The picture that you carry of yourself will determine the course you take in life.  If you have no specific, clearly defined goals or desires, you will not just wake up someday in nirvana, with a well padded retirement account.

Yes, we work hard to be successful, but we also have to choose to be successful.  It is a decision.  It is a conscious effort.  It takes mental discipline. It is a deliberate mindset.

It takes consistently evaluating our thoughts and then changing those thoughts when necessary.

It takes specific goals and desires that we must pursue with diligence.  It is up to us to reevaluate and reformulate those goals and desires as life changes. A lot more is needed to be successful than just arriving at a job and working hard all day!

In addition, we must remember that negative, defeating thoughts will always produce defeat.  Fears and worries will bring failure.

It is through positive, successful mind processes, that we come up with ideas for success.  When we keep our mind focused on our desires, opportunities become very obvious to us.   That is a big part of the “working smarter.”

Our culture has really changed in the last 40 years.  Working for one company and then retiring with a nice pension has become almost obsolete.  Staying at the same job for a long time is becoming a novelty.  And social security will not pay you enough, even if it’s still there when you retire.

So, work hard at your job, but work even harder with your brain.  Stay clear and focused on where you truly desire to go in life. Stay clear on the things that you really desire to see happen, and then, act on those desires.

Look for and expect opportunities to come your way.  Expect to have more ideas for your own personal success.  And, never forget that the Creator has promised to give you the desires of your heart.

And by the way, the next time you’re in Denny’s and a grandmother waits on your table, give her a ten or twenty dollar tip.

Mike Verdicchio
2008

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The Greatest Love

For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him, shall not perish but have everlasting life.

Related Posts:
John 3:16 Part 1
John 3:16 Part 2
John 3:16 Part 3
John 3:16 Part 4

John 3:16 Part 5
John 3:16 Compilation
Buy Without Money
He Got Kicked Out Of The Wedding!

For past articles, click on the “Posts” tab above.  For past videos and podcasts, mouse over the “Posts” tab above.  Look for more videos as well as more podcasts coming soon to Confidence And Joy!

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Holding A New Baby

I remember when I held Paula, our firstborn, for the very first time.

It was just minutes after she was born.  It was a thrill that words just cannot describe.

I have told people over the years that suddenly there was another person in the room and they didn’t come in the door!

The miracle of human birth is just awesome.

This past weekend I got to hold our first grandchild in my arms – Paula’s daughter, Ava.

It was again a thrill that words cannot describe.

And even though it is not my child, there is something that just ignites inside your heart at that moment.

Is it love?

Is it care and concern and protection?  Is it knowing that that little infant is a part of your family, and a God given instinct kicks in?  Is it the love of God being manifested toward a new human being?

Perhaps it is all of those and more.

And while my trip to Denver was brief, it was well worth it hold her and pray for her and let her melt my heart.

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How Do You See It?

So many times we forget the great blessing by looking at the task at hand.  Perhaps, we ought to take a step back and remind ourselves of the blessing to our lives instead of just seeing the work at hand.

Here are some tasks you may do, and, the blessing that might be overlooked.

The task: A big pile of laundry.
The Blessing: The people you love are very close by.

The Task:  Listening to someone’s very annoying voice.
The Blessing:  You can hear.

The Task:  A never ending “to do” list around the house.
The Blessing:  You have a home.

The Task:  Having to walk really far because the parking lot was full.
The Blessing:  You can walk.

The Task:  Reaching for the alarm clock in the morning.
The Blessing:  You are alive.

The Task:  Putting up with everyone’s opinion about the government.
The Blessing: You live in a free country with free speech.

The Task:  Having to pay outrageous taxes.
The Blessing:  You are employed.

The Task:  Cleaning up after a party at your house.
The Blessing:  You have friends.

Those are just a few, and perhaps you can think of some others.  Share them with the rest of us in the comments section below. We really do have a lot of things to be thankful for.

Michael Verdicchio
2011

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Is There A solution?

It’s Another Podcast!

When facing difficult situations, many times people feel hopeless.  They feel like they are just stuck with no way out and that there is nothing they can do about it.

Some even go so far as to say that maybe it’s just, “meant to be.”

This short podcast (4:26) is all about possibilities and solutions.  No matter what you are facing today, there has to be a solution!  There has to be a way!

Enjoy the podcast!

[If you cannot see the player below, just click the title above]

Don’t Be Shy – Leave A Comment!
Do you have some thoughts about this?  We’d love to hear what you think.  Just scroll to the bottom of this post and type in your comment. (If you are receiving this post via email or RSS, just click the title above and then scroll to the bottom of the post and type in your comment.)

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Share This Podcast!
Do you want to share this article on your website or Blog?   To share on social media, like Facebook or Twitter, there are buttons below.

There’s More!
For past articles, click on the, “Posts” tab above.  For past videos and podcasts, mouse over the “Posts” tab above.  Look for more videos as well as more podcasts coming soon to Confidence And Joy!

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Very Proud!

She Has Finally Arrived!

Our daughter, Paula, gave birth on Monday to her and Tyson’s first child, Ava Violet.

They are very proud first time parents, and Kathy and I are very proud first time grandparents.

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The Strangest Secret In The World

It’s A Special Recording!

Below is a special audio recording from 1956.  Not only is it unique in that it sold over a million copies back then, but the message is still true today.  Since we are all starting a New Year this week, I thought these words might inspire you.

Earl Nightingale  was the voice in the early 1950s of Sky King, the hero of a radio adventure series, and was also a WGN radio show host from 1950 to 1956.

When Nightingale was seventeen he joined the United States Marines. He was on the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor and was one of twelve surviving Marines on board that day. Before being mustered, Nightingale was an instructor at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

After the war Nightingale began work in the radio industry, which eventually led to work as a motivational speaker. In 1956 he produced a spoken word record, The Strangest Secret, which sold over a million copies, making it the first spoken-word recording to achieve Gold Record status.

Below is that 1956 recording.  If you cannot see the player below, just click the title above

Don’t Be Shy – Leave A Comment!
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Share This!
Do you want to share this on your website or Blog?   To share on social media, like Facebook or Twitter, there are buttons below.

There’s More!
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Can You Really Generate A Decent Income From Your Blog?

Lots of people are looking for other ways to generate income.  There are people making very, very good money from blogging.  Others wonder if they could do the same.

The purpose of this blog, Confidence And Joy, is not to retire me.  I have another plan in the works for that.  And like everything else it takes time and effort.

But if you want to go the route of earning money from a blog, I would highly recommend Joel Williams. Before he launched into teaching people how to build and monetize their blogs, he helped tons of people build and design their blog, including Confidence And Joy. Much of the design and layout of this blog is Joel’s handiwork.

My relationship with Joel over the past two years has been just wonderful.  He knows his stuff; he is honest; and, he follows up very quickly.  He doesn’t take on any new clients anymore, to help and fix their blog sites, but he does offer a very powerful course.  He actually shows you how to build your blog step by step, and then how to monetize it.

Last June I did a quick post about Joel. Now that the New Year is upon us, and many people are looking for alternative ways of generating income, either full or part-time, I thought I would pass this on for those considering the blogging world.

But make no mistake!  Whatever alternative route you decide on, it is going to take time and effort.  It is true in monetizing a blog, and it is true in the new venture I am involved with.  I am on a 3 to 5 year plan to retire.  It takes time and effort, and, sadly, lots of people just don’t want to roll up their sleeves and build something.

If you think you might want to get into blogging to generate income, then get Joel’s course.  He and his partner Andrew have really put something solid together that I highly recommend.  And, if after 2 months you are not happy, they give you a full refund.  That’s cool because that length of time gives even the busiest person time to learn and grow.

It’s called, “Income Blogging Guide” and it is a step by step guide to building your own on-line business.  Click Here to see all the details. Right now you can save 25%.

If you’re not into generating an income through blogging, and you want to know what I’m into, just contact me personally and I’ll be happy to share it with you.  More and more people are beginning to look for other ways to generate the income they need.  Times have changed and so have the rules.  Many people are beginning to see they need to be in charge of their own lives.

If you are thinking of working from home and doing something different than the “insecure job,” always remember to stay away from the “get rich quick” schemes.  You are not going to make 10, 20 or 30 thousand dollars a month for doing nothing in your first month.  It takes time and effort.  But the right fit for you could be very rewarding as you build your own business.

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A New Year – A New Baby

I wanted to wish everyone who visited this blog in 2010 a very Happy and Prosperous New Year!

Kathy and I are embracing the New Year with the excitement of our first grandchild; Ava Violet is due any day now.

It is interesting to me that the Scriptures compare the Return of Christ with both a “thief in the night,” and, a woman about to give birth.  No one knows when Christ will return, just like no one knows when a thief will come, and, no one knows exactly when a baby will be born.

So we will continue to patiently wait for Ava, and, patiently wait for Christ’s return.  In the meantime, we live our lives the best we can, putting our absolute trust in God.

Happy New Year!