We as young, motivated individuals are often susceptible to believing and being consoled by the idea that if we just work astoundingly hard at something, we will ultimately find unlimited success. We are taught that we will get ahead if we just put in a generous amount of our time and energy.

Sadly, it’s all too possible and real for there to be a scenario where you work hard without being noticed and or achieving the success you naively thought would be for certain. Stand up from your cubicle and take a look at the man or woman in the corner office dressed impeccably with his or her feet up at their mahogany desk.

They did not get there because of how hard they worked, but because of how smart they worked. You need to discover the meaning behind this truth if you are ever to achieve success.

Learn How To Effectively Delegate Work

“The great leaders are like the best conductors – they reach beyond the notes to reach the magic in the players.” – Blaine Lee

If you’re an entrepreneur or business owner, you need to assemble a team capable of actually doing what you want to accomplish before you  delegate work. It would be helpful for you to drop your ego at this point in time and surround yourself with people that are smarter than you in particular subjects. It’s essential for your team to be as diverse as possible in respect to skills and specializations.

A resourceful businessperson understands what kind of work he or she does best and that the rest can be left to someone else. As a consequence of this efficient mindset, the art of delegation is born.

Those who delegate effectively and follow up consistently are able to achieve infinitely more than those who feel they need to have their hand in every detail of every project or task. Additionally, the act of delegation enriches the work of your subordinates as it provides them with meaningful and stimulating challenges.

Don’t Mistake Effort For Effectiveness

“Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress.” –Alfred A. Montapert

When working on any sort of task, it is important to take a break once in a while and reflect on what is really occurring. Yes, you have been working hard, but is anything actually getting done? Are you moving forward? It’s easy to fall into the trap of working hard while simultaneously losing sight of the big picture.

If you are to be a leader, you must learn to keep the big picture in your sights at all times. If what you are doing is not in some way moving you closer to that picture, then you are simply moving farther away.

We have all heard the expression, “Don’t make a mountain out of a mole hill” and this is especially relevant advice for those who are constantly in motion but rarely progressing.  There is only so much effort we can give on a daily basis, therefore it’s crucial to insert the majority of our energy in to tasks that are of the most importance and significance.

Use Your Time Wisely

“Time is money.” –Benjamin Franklin

We are allotted 24 hours every single day, which we have no choice but to expend until the day we die. How we use our time day in, day out is the single most pertinent factor in determining how far we will go in life. Considering what we have said so far, we need to be able to delegate well and not get caught up in unproductive tasks if we are to make the most effective use of our time.

I believe there is a medium we must find that lies somewhere between excessive hyperactivity and wasteful idleness. It is here where we will have a work pace that results in the most valuable use of our time. We must also find a way to balance time spent on tasks and time spent developing relationships.

The most efficient and beneficial way to do this is to spend the greatest amount of time with the smallest amount of people. Cultivate the relationships that are most critical to your organization.

Knowing When to Quit

“Quitting is not giving up, it’s choosing to focus your attention on something more important. Quitting is not losing confidence, it’s realizing that there are more valuable ways you can spend your time.” –Osayi Osar Emokpae

The term “quitting” has notoriously been coined as a negative word by our society’s standards. It is associated with giving up or admitting defeat. However, there is an upside to quitting that is rarely ever talked about. Knowing when to quit is an important skill to take command of if you are to work smart instead of hard.

So how will you know when the right time to quit and move on is? When faced with a task that is going to require more effort and time than what would be an acceptable value in return, we need to learn to say no, and focus our attention and energy elsewhere.

If we are to get anywhere worth going in life, hard work is one of the many paths. But the ability to do less while achieving more is the result of smart work. This is not just a guide towards the path to success, but rather a pre-requisite to its grand entrance.

Joe Sorrentino | Elite