Hard Work Doesn’t Always Lead to Success (2024)

If you feel that you’re putting in the hours and not achieving the desired results, increasing your efforts may not be the answer. When people fail, it’s not because of a lack of effort but because their effort was misdirected or misaligned with their interests. People who make informed and intelligent choices about the work they choose to focus on have been quicker to reach success. If you’re new to an organization and want to get ahead, or just entering the workforce and trying to figure out where to focus your efforts, use these insights to guide you.

• Explore, then exploit. As an early-career professional, you may not always know where to direct your hard work. And that’s okay. Even if you’re employed, make sure you give yourself time and space to explore. Figuring out what you what excites you — as opposed to diving “all in” and burning out as soon as you land a job — will pay off in the long run.
• Use the 80-20 rule. The Pareto principle suggests that 80% of consequences come from 20% of causes. Take a hard look at everything you do. Which tasks and projects have the biggest impact when it comes to getting closer to your goals? Start your day by working on those few vital few activities (your 20%). Once you’ve finished them, move on to tasks that you need to do in order to fulfill the work expectations set by your manager.
• Prioritize systems over goals. Both successful and unsuccessful people have similar goals — both want to win. The difference comes from having systems in place that make your hard work matter. The best part about having good systems in place is that you can achieve your goals with relatively less effort, as they are likely to compound your output.