The lie of working harder

If you work hard, you’ll make it in the end.

This is a hugely popular sentiment online. With entrepreneurism on the up and up, and running a startup being one of the coolest things out there, people continue to latch on to this sentiment for what I think comes across as either a boast that they’re working hard, or an attempt to create a self fulfilling prophecy. If I just work myself to the bone, if I don’t give up, if I just work a little harder – then I’ll make it. Work sets you free.

This idea that success is guaranteed with hard work, seems to me to be the rich person’s hubris, a deceit. Rich enough to start something that can fail, but not living in reality – working hard never guarantees success. So many people have failed over the years and worked extremely hard in the process.

“Believe in yourself, and the rest will fall into place. Have faith in your own abilities, work hard, and there is nothing you cannot accomplish.”

Work hard yes – of course. Work is good, work is worth doing properly. But don’t think that for one minute success is just down to hard work.