Work Smart, Not Hard

Have you ever thought how do some people seem to have it all? From waking up early to exercising regularly to eating healthy food and seeming to be happy all the time?

Well, to start off, they are not as perfect as they seem. But they surely have got better stamina and stronger will power than other people.

So, have you always wanted to exercise in the morning but you ALWAYS feel lazy and hesitant? Do you wonder how other people do it so easily? You bet you do! I do it all the time!

I’ve been reading and watching videos a whole lot about this subject.. But before I tell you what I learned, I will share this anecdote, it will help you understand what I’m going to say better.

It is told that there was a lovely hardworking lumberjack, who loved his work. He was dedicated to cutting trees, he woke up by dawn, went into the forest, looked for trees, used his saw back and forth back and forth until the lumber surrendered. He stays cutting in the forest until before dusk, goes to the village and sells the wood to the people before they go to their houses, returns to his house late at night, barely sees his children and loving wife, eats, gets to sleep so can start his day at dawn again.

After years of hard work, another lumberjack came into town. He did the exact same thing our friend did, except the fact that he used to start his day after the dawn has come, and he returned hours before dusk, sold his woods, and spent the rest of the day with his family.

Our friend was confused. How did this man do all that he did in this little time?
He decided to watch him in the woods. He watched him for days. But nothing was extraordinary though.
One day he was fed up by his curiousity and asked him how he does what he does in a very little time?
The new lumberjack told him: I just sharpen my saw every morning before I hit to the woods.
Our friend exclaimed: “But this takes almost an HOUR! I prefer using this hour in cutting wood.

The lumberjack laughed: “Yes, It does take an hour, but it sure saves me a lot of time in the evening.” He continued, “An extra hour in the morning helps me accomplishing what I can do in 3 hours!”

Do you see where this story lands us?

If we just do ONE single move, one single step, the first step of everything that we want to do, it will make it easier on us to just do it. For example, prepare your running shoes and clothes by your bed so you are ready first thing in the morning. Buy veggies and cut them the night before so you know you have something healthy to eat instead of eating some fatty fast food. And the list goes on and on and on.

One small action makes us realize it is much easier to be done. Our subconscious will be programmed that we WANT to do something and by preparing the first step, it is like the kick start to stay committed to what you want to do.

What do you do to guarantee making or doing the things that you want in your days? Share your ideas. Let the world have people with more will power to be better :)