Are you working Hard but not getting what you Want? Here’s Why.
If you’ve been working hard for ages and wonder why you’re not where you want to be, you’re not alone. For years, I believed that success only came through relentless effort and long hours. But despite my best efforts, it often felt like I was just treading water.
Does that sound familiar to you?
Maybe you’ve been diligently pushing forward, doing all you thought necessary to “get ahead.” But instead of feeling satisfied or fulfilled, you’re left wondering if all this hard work is even worth it.
You’ve no doubt experienced some wins here and there—a lively and connected family gathering, a successful project, a holiday that left you feeling renewed—but before long, you feel like you’re back on the treadmill, with those gains fading as quickly as they came.
The truth is, the problem isn’t a lack of effort. It’s that we’ve been taught to put our energy in the wrong place.
Why Hard Work isn’t the full picture
If this feels like you, welcome to my world until recent times. I’d put in the hard yards, the early mornings, the late nights, attending training courses on weekends and whatever else I thought was necessary to get me “there”. And I couldn’t work out what I was doing wrong.
I’d often find myself wondering, “Why doesn’t this feel any easier? Where’s the ease and flow I’ve been working towards?”
Turns out, as soon as I had a vision of what I’d love to create, I’d have a thought that it wasn’t going to happen without hard work. This was largely unconscious.
A whole new understanding helped me to realise that the key wasn’t in working harder; it was in focusing on what truly mattered to me.
The Power of focusing on what you really want
The breakthrough came when I stopped obsessing over all the “shoulds” and the things that could get in the way of what I’d love, and focused instead on the vision of what I wanted to create. The shift was powerful: I went from trying to force results to allowing them to unfold.
Every time I found myself slipping into thoughts that success demanded hard work, I’d pause and refocus. I learned to question those habitual thoughts and, instead of grinding through tasks just to check off boxes, I focused on activities that felt aligned with my real vision.
Does this mean no more hard work?
Do I still have early mornings, late nights, time doing tasks instead of relaxing? Absolutely – but because it’s taking me in the direction of what I really want, it doesn’t feel like hard work.
What you can do to you can shift your focus
If you’re ready to step off the treadmill of endless hard work and start creating real change, here are a few steps to get started:
Get clear on your Vision
Take a moment to define what you truly want, not just what you think you’re “supposed” to want, or what you think you’re “allowed” to have.
The clearer your vision, the easier it is to align your actions with it. Allow yourself to really connect with the feeling of having that outcome in your life.
Challenge the habit of Hard Work
When you feel the urge to push harder, ask yourself if there’s a better way to approach the task. Sometimes, we work harder as a default, not because it’s necessary. We can define ourselves as worthy or capable because we’re prepared to work hard, and those unconscious beliefs drive our actions.
Awareness is key.
When you notice and step back from those thoughts, even momentarily, your intuition can alert you to other possibilities for achieving what you want.
Stay mindful of old patterns of thinking
It’s easy to slip back into the habit of “hard work equals results.” Keep an eye on these patterns and remind yourself to connect with what you’d love to create.
Success doesn’t have to be a struggle. When you stop putting energy into the wrong things and focus instead on what truly matters, you’ll find that getting what you want isn’t as hard as it once seemed.
Ready to make this shift? Start by focusing on what you truly want today—and feel the difference.
Let me know if you’d like to know more, or want to share your results.