Kevin Hart is Absolutely Right
I had lunch with a former colleague a few months ago and mentioned that I was writing a book. She nodded politely and said, “Yeah, anybody can write a book nowadays.”
I suppose I should have been offended, but I wasn’t. She didn’t mean it as an insult… it just slipped out. And she is absolutely correct; practically anyone can write a book today. But they don’t.
It took me over two years of research, writing and editing to complete my book, PERSUADED. I ran into every hurdle imaginable along the way. It wasn’t easy. There were days when I wanted to throw my computer out the window and bag the entire project. But I didn’t. I carried on. I persevered. I finished the job, which also happened to be high up on my bucket list. And, I love the finished product.
“Have you written a book?” I asked her. “Oh, no. I don’t have time for that,” she replied. I nodded my head and changed the subject.
Since then, I have been promoting my book tirelessly. I tell anyone who will listen about it. People have been genuinely supportive and kind. They pick up on my enthusiasm and encourage me, which is very much appreciated. What I’ve found interesting is, about half the time I hear, “I’ve been thinking about writing a book myself.” I encourage them to do so, but I doubt their book will ever see the light of day. And that’s too bad.
It doesn’t matter if it is a book or a new business, a painting or a home project, a health and wellness goal or a bucket list item… accomplishing something worthwhile takes hard work and perseverance. It’s a grind. That’s why most people won’t do it and that’s what gives it so much value.
Cognitive psychologists call this phenomenon the power of extra effort, which simply means we place a higher value on things that are more difficult to attain.
Comedian Kevin Hart’s mantra is “everyone wants to be famous, but nobody wants to do the work.” He’s absolutely right. You could replace the word “famous” for the word “successful” or even “achieve a bucket list goal.” Are you willing to do the work to achieve something great?
Tomorrow is not guaranteed. Get started on your goal today. Embrace the grind because it will make your accomplishment that much more meaningful.
