Jun
10
Mastery and the Average Factory Worker
I cannot think of one problem that can’t be solved by this solution:
“Work more hours than the average factory worker.”
(I found that on a post about being an artist for life. The rest of it’s just as good.)
Not work, mind you. Work at this.
Don’t get marketing? Give it a month of 42.5 hours a week.
Aren’t sure how to find your blogging voice? 20 full working days, baby.
Need more clients? Make it your full time job, one from which you could get fired for not meeting your quota.
Want more people to stop by your store? Devote 10,200 minutes to nothing but bringing them.
The more I think about it, the more I realize how this applies to every area of life. Toilet training your toddler. Paying down your debt. Renovating your house. It seems impossible and overwhelming but if you actually sit down and apply yourself, actually work at it, it’s not that hard.
We just think it’s hard because we want it to be easy. Anything less than effortless gets lumped into hard.
After Johnny started succeeding in his business, he started getting questions about how he did it. Some of the questions were pretty insightful, the kind of questions someone like me or Johnny love to get. But most were basically, “How did you do it?”, despite the fact that he blogged weekly for months about just that.
We used to joke on the phone that step-by-step instructions aren’t enough for some people. They say they want to know exactly what to do, but they don’t. They want to know exactly how to do it, easily and for free, without impacting their life in any measurable or uncomfortable way, and really fast.
Johnny’s and my Only Piece of Business Advice You’ll Ever Need, version 1:
Work your fucking ass off.
Johnny’s and my Only Piece of Business Advice You’ll Ever Need, version 2:
Having said that, today I would like to publicly change my long-standing advice. I recently read Johnny’s piece about fighting for your right to be lazy. He refers to an article asking 12 entrepreneurs about their working habits, including the hours they worked.
Thank God for Johnny because I thought maybe I was the only one who read that piece and thought, “Jesus Christ, those people work a lot.” Averaged over the year, I’d say I work about 12 hours a week. I’m unschooling and renovating, for God’s sake.
So I unveil the new version:
Work your fucking ass off for a while.
Then hightail it to Cuba.
This is so true. I remember 30 years ago I was working in a gas station and I wanted to win the Employee of the month contest. On the last day (a Sunday) before the month expired I was behind another person by more than 100 points.
The only way possible for me to overtake the fron runner by Monday morning was to sign up 100 people for the credit card. On a regular Sunday, we use to sign up for may be a dozen people.
I arrived Monday determined to achieve that impossible task.
I asked each and every customer who came to the store to sign up for credit card.
Though I got a few verbal abuse, I achieved my target by the end of the shift.
I originally read it as “Averaged over the year, I’d say I work about 12 hours.” And I thought, “She’s got this shit DOWN.”
The laziness thing is tricky. If you’re type-A driven, you need to be told to slow down. But if you’re a lazy ass, you need to be told to work harder. I don’t want people who are currently sitting around taking bong hits all day and watching Tom & Jerry to read what I wrote and think, “Dude, we’re on the path to success.”
This is a real danger because stoners read a lot of business blogs.
I think the purpose of hard work is so that you can eventually not work so hard and enjoy the fruits of that hard work. So many people (like the people in that article about the successful online folks) work hard so that their business will grow so that they can work harder.
Then they read “Getting Things Done” and read LifeHacker end to end and learn how to be more efficient so that they can work harder within those ridiculous hours they’re already putting in.
Most people use productivity tools to accomplish more stuff in the course of a day. I’m learning all of the productivity tools I can so that I can accomplish the same amount of stuff in far less time. Big difference.
But if I get behind the 8 ball again? If I have a really big goal and want it… NEED it… to get done, and ideally soon? Then I’ll be putting in the 18 hour days again for as long as it takes.
So that I can take a vacation. But probably not to Cuba. I’m thinking Hawaii.
I love it.
Especially the bit about Cuba.
I’ve no aversion to working hard, BUT found I got miles better results when just dealing with one problem to achieve.
Otherwise I was working all those hours trying to get a bunch of different things done and getting nothing done.
I had to ask what was the biggest problem that I wanted to smash and I’m just sticking to that before I go onto anything else (my mandolin mastery is just going to have to wait goddammit).
I’m not sure what there is to add after that.. I’ve got work to do!
I was working as much as 17 hours a day just trying to figure out what I wanted to do for a while. I got started, and promptly realized I came up with the wrong answer.
So I knocked it off for a while, gave my head some time to clear, and now I feel like I’m on a much better, clearer track.
As long as I’m enjoying what I’m doing at the time, I don’t mind putting in long hours.
Focus Focus Focus
Step-by-step instructions are GREAT. I owe half of my home projects to YouTube. Unfortunately people don’t hear “Here’s the steps that worked for me. Maybe they’ll work for you too if you create a plan, work hard enough, and stick to it”. They hear “Here’s the steps that I took and they worked for me. Since I’ve already put in all the effort all you have to do is read this and imagine that your working. Presto! You’ll be a success”
Enter self-centered rant:
1 year ago I could barely check my email and I think I actually asked someone “how do I find the Google” when I was looking for something (yes I’m serious). Now I run a welding tutorial site with homemade instructional videos and even a podcast, I manage shopping carts for others, built my own cart to sell fight gear, and I also do this other Entrepreneurial Daddy thing.
Im no genius. I choose to get hit by big ass dudes every night so you know I’m not smart. What I am, is focused and willing to work at it.
End self-centered rant.
I have had a mind shift recently around what I spend my time on. I used to (and still do) love spending hours online reading and watching random things to pick up odd facts. The same was true offline. I spent a lot of time reading books and magazines that in no way related to my areas of interest other than me looking at them and thinking “that sounds cool. I should take a look.”
Recently though, I began to realize that I got the same types of returns (if not greater) from reading and learning about what I do for work (nonprofit marketing, online strategy, etc). This caused me to question what I was spending my time on.
I am consistently in my office from 7:30am to about 6pm, and I rarely do work on nights and weekends…only if there’s a fire… I thought I should have enough time to shift my focus away from random facts to work-related material, and that would improve not only my current work, but also my career. Due to that, anytime that I am in the office outside of the ‘normal’ 9-5, I focus on reading blogs, commenting, networking, etc that is related to mine or my company’s brand. Between 9 and 5, I focus solely on clients, and in the evening and weekends instead of reading those random books, I now focus on books related to my work interests (read: different from ‘related to work’). Thus far, I feel like I am way more productive and focused, and I believe my colleagues can see that.
Now, if I could just cut down on wasting time in meetings and on email ;-)
The internet allows us to scale. That’s the difference between the pre-interent world and post. We can create something that’s still there – but it takes a big, big amount of work to get to the point where you’ve allowed yourself to stop working as hard.
The thing is, the internet is equally unforgiving the other way, too – it’s kinda hard to slow crawl to the top. You’ll have difficulty gaining momentum.
So it’s bust your ass or don’t show up – no other option.
Naomi,
Hope Cuba is treating you well. I’ve heard a similar formula for becoming an expert in something. It’s called the 10,000 hour rule.
You can either mope around and do something for 2 hours a day for almost 14 years, or you can go balls-out and do work that thing for 8 hours a day and get your 10,000 hours in a little over 3 years.
It’s all about putting in your dues. The illusion that the internet is easier than the outernet is kind of a farce. It’s just easier to get started… however we still have to get out 10,000 hours in just like the next guy or gal.
-Joshua Black
The Underdog Millionaire
Even with the updated advice, it’s that first step that people want to find the way to skip over. If they’d put as much effort into working that they do into searching for the loopholes, they’d be in Cuba by now.
During the first half of the article, I was saying to myself, “Yeah, I get that people have to *work* to get it done, but the whole point of me getting into home business was because I didn’t want to have to deal with the mentality of an enslaved office worker for the rest of my life, dammit.”
…and then I kept reading. The idea of being able to get the point of working 12 hours a year is pretty good incentive to work my ass off *now*.
Also, I think I’d pick Europe over Cuba. Just sayin’.
You fell for what I fell for. She means that over the course of the year, she works an average of 12 hours per WEEK.
Not bad though, huh?
I want to say that I TOTALLY picked up on it originally. That it was just a deliberate typo to see if anyone was listening. (Would you believe me if I said that?)
So yeah. I fell for it. At least I’m not the only one. :)
Thanks for lighting a fire under me. I’ve been slacking off a bit.
I read a quote recently: It’s better to do nothing, to be busy doing nothing.
Feels like there are three kinds of people.
Those type A personalities who need to be encouraged to take a break and allow some magic to happen.
Those who are busy doing nothing – who need to get focused.
Those who are actually not busy and not doing anything and wondering when it’s all going to happen.
I like that – work your asse off for a while, lay a strong foundation, then get smart and remember the reason you’re not working for some mean boss!
Don’t be your own mean boss!
Enjoy Cuba – loved that place! The most resourceful people I’ve ever met – budding entrepreneurs – they have to be!
Woops – it’s better to do nothing than to be busy doing nothing…
Is what i meant to write!
Phase 1 is really about working hard to be able to implement other people’s ideas.
Phase 2 requires me to do less work so I can have better ideas, and so I can implement those. The great ideas mostly come when I’m not working. Funny how that is.
Right now I’m juggling Phase 1 and Phase 2 at the same time, which is probably not so great for great ideas, but I have to start somewhere.
“They say they want to know exactly what to do, but they don’t. They want to know exactly how to do it, easily and for free, without impacting their life in any measurable or uncomfortable way, and really fast.”
In Linchpin, Seth Godin rants about everyone wanting an instruction manual. And that’s what our public school and factory work system is set up to do: train us to follow instructions. What we need is to become people that write the instruction manuals, people who move forward without a map. And work our fucking asses off. For a while. Then play our fucking fingers off (see Jonathan Field’s blog on Stevie Ray Vaughan).
Wait, was Stevie playing or working? That’s where I want to be. In a place where I can’t tell the fucking difference.
Close this blog down, because this post says the whole damned thing.
I aim for 1000 hours a year. Some weeks are harsh. Some weeks are delightfully mellow.
Also, I want to go to Cuba. Why are you not Skypeing me every day regaling me with details about how cool it is? Evil bitch.
When I really get into trying to find how I an make myself stand out, get people to take notice I travel around the world wide web looking for ideas. And a little voice in my head speaks loudly and firmly telling me I need to try harder.
Your post today just totally reinforced this for me today.
Thank You!
This post is exactly what I needed to hear. I started out only a few months ago thinking online biz would be EASY. Well of course its been a steep learning curve and getting steeper. But its nice to have a handrail and a few signposts, and that is what this post is for me.
You are the Mayor of Awesometown.
Yeah, I needed to hear this, too. Figuring out the marketing thing is hard, but also it’s just a lot of work once you’ve figured out what it is you need to do!
I am glad this blog is around, I’m not sure what I would do without it. :D
It’s always about work. The average working time is a far-away dream. And it’s essential to keep Cuba in mind: it gives you the strength to work even harder.
Lloyd Burrell
Publisher,
officedeskreviews
Hard work is essential for sure. That, and focus.
For me, the issue is definitely focus. I work from I wake up till my brain starts to sizzle (typically around 9-10pm), but often I am working on too many things at once. But that’s a different issue.
I wholeheartedly agree that the only way to succeed, pick up new skills or improve existing ones is to work your ass off. Repeatedly. And then take a break to rebuild energy.
Excellent advice, and great to know that once you’ve worked hard, you can actually be more choosy and RELAX!
Also, I just wanted to stop by and say thank you so much for the free “Marketing for Writers” emails, because I just got a chance to sit down and read them all, and they’re excellent. I’m going to spend the rest of my day (and subsequent weekend) going over your suggestions and applying them. You’re a rockstar, Naomi. Have fun in Cuba!
How to succed in 5 words that no one wants to hear: “Work your fucking ass off.” Lol. Thanks Naomi and Johnny. Let’s kick ass too:) You’re great inspiration.
I think we should re-brand the word ‘work’. That word has too much baggage and too many negative connotations attached: workhouses for the poor; office-worker and Dolly Parton’s 9-5.
Seriously, let’s call it something else.
“Bleeding from the eyeballs” is my preferred term.
It only took me 6 years of trying but I finally figured it out too…persistence – that’s the ticket.
Totally with you on the hightailing it to Cuba thing :)
Great Post. Entrepreneurs have to be excellent managers of resources — human, financial, informational, technological, material and time. If you are organized, savvy with finances, can manage inventory, schedules, and operation — opening your own business might be a good solution for you. If you are interested in some online courses to help you get started I found a great non-profit that has been providing online education to adult jobseekers in 60 IT certifications in (Microsoft,Cisco, Oracle, Sun, A+, Net+, Security+ etc.) and Business
(including Project Management certification) at http://www.nefuniversity.org. You can find the link on the home page at the top titled Small Business.
>>It seems impossible and overwhelming but if you actually sit down and apply yourself, actually work at it, it’s not that hard.
NO KIDDING.
I was in a group once and they all thought I was just awesome (not that that’s necessarily a bad thing.) They thought I could do anything. One of the people said, “Carla just makes things happen.”
Their confidence was touching, but I don’t have a magic wand. Things don’t “just happen.” I worked my butt off. The thing that irritated me is that it was almost like they were using that as an excuse for not following through on *their* responsibilities.
It really isn’t that complicated. You decide what you want the end result to be, look at all the aspects of it, then make a list of every step you have to take to get there. Then you start in on the list and do each item, one by one, and keep going until you’re done.
People want the Star Trek solution, they want to be beamed from Point A to Point B.
Life just doesn’t work that way.
Naomi: como te fue? (How was Cuba?)
This article reminds me of the 10,000 hour rule from Malcolm Gladwell’s “Outliers.” Basically, you can master an art by working your face off at it.
I don’t think I’ve heard of working the face off. Usually it’s the other end, but maybe if you work both your ass and face off, you could whittle yourself down to just a torso. A very satisfied and successful torso.
I worked my hiney off part time while working fulltime at the day job for about four years, then I worked 10-16 hour days for a year or so after quitting the day job to ramp up my income.
Then I floated into a season where I barely worked four hours a day – that lasted about a year and was only possible because of everything I’d already built.
Now I’m in a 8-12 hour a day routine because I’m trying to double income again. I totally agree with you – I succeed at just about everything I ACTUALLY DO and fail at the things I just flutter around.