I’ve recently found that the way I think about the amount of hard work vs. achievement is faulty. This way of thinking has led me to multiple failures and disappointments. To set the context, let’s say there is a goal we would like to achieve. To consider working on that goal, we want to get a rough estimate of what it takes to achieve it -- the time you’ll have to commit and the stuff you’ll have to give up. Collectively this is the amount of hard work we’ll have to do.
This is how I think about goal and hard work (2 step process).
Goal setting step - In this step, the aim is ambitious, not settling for more realistic/practical goals. (Maximisation)
Hard work estimation step - In this step, I would search/ask what it takes to achieve the above goal. I’ll look for methods to achieve the goal quickly. Looking for shortcuts. Looking to shorten the amount of effort magically. And if you look enough, you will always stumble on examples (in our vicinity or on the internet) who make it look very easy -- losing x kgs weight in a month, learning an instrument quickly, learning a new language in x months. (Minimisation)
In one line, the above is - “What is the least amount of work I can do to achieve my uncompromisable goal.”
And because someone always achieves something easily -- due to a variety of factors unknown and out of our control. You’ll find a plethora of videos/posts of people telling how they improved drastically at the gym in a few months, how they learnt to play complicated songs on the piano in a year, and so on. It gives a false perception that it is the normal amount of hard work required for that goal. The outliers -- the 95th or 99th percentiles -- start looking like the norm.
So when we apply this ourselves, we are most likely to fail (because that’s the most likely outcome for the amount of hard work put in). In my opinion, reversing the steps would give a better chance of succeeding.
Hard work estimation step - First decide how much time you have and what you are willing to give up. Decide the maximum amount of hard work you are willing to do for this goal. (Maximisation)
Goal setting step - Now with the above estimate, calculate whether the goal is achievable or not. Search for average results for the amount of hard work. Depending on this analysis, we can set a more realistic version of the same goal. (Average)
In one line, this would be - “What is the average result I can expect for the amount of work I am willing to put in.”