Do Hard Work and Perseverance Really Pay Off? [+ 29 Quotes]

It’s a cliche we’ve heard all but many times, “there’s no success without hard work and perseverance .” But is that really true? Is there something more to the story that isn’t talked about enough?

Why do some people enjoy more success than others by doing just as much or even less “work”?

Those are questions we’ll explore in detail within this article.

The benefits of hard work and perseverance

There’s no doubt that hard work and perseverance have their benefits. For one, there’s no denying that they are, in fact, the pillars of success. The meat and potatoes of any success story aren’t anything but sheer hard work, grit, determination, and persistence. 

Sure, it might take some people less work to achieve the same results. But it’s never like they achieved it while sleeping or doing absolutely nothing. 

Moreover, a hardworking person is also likely to be a disciplined person. I’ve never met a hardworking and successful person who wasn’t following a daily routine and had a strict set of rules, either for themselves or the people working for their business. (Yes, business. But more on this later.)

And lastly, they also allow people to develop a thicker skin as they learn to face setbacks and overcome obstacles.

But, coming back to the main question, is hard work enough? Do hard work and perseverance really pay off?

Is hard work enough?

The short answer is NO; More than hard work is required. Several other factors come into play in achieving success.

Luck

The most important of these is luck. 

If you ask any ultra-successful person, they’ll agree that a good chunk of their success has come from being the right person, at the right place, at the right time. There’s no denying that luck has played a significant part in getting them where they are.

But that isn’t to say that they didn’t work hard. Or, to say that you can’t make your own luck.

The internet is a great equalizer. And the fact that you can read this article makes you one of the luckiest people alive. 

Sure, some people have worked hard all their lives but haven’t been lucky. 

But with the internet, the chance to be the right person at the right time is increasing. Learn to embrace your luck and grab those chances.

There are people in this world living under war, poverty, disease, mental disorders, malnutrition, and several other terrible things. Yet, you — the reader — are a healthy individual able to ingest this knowledge and use it to improve your life. This speaks of the good fortune the heavens have bestowed upon you.

Your job is to use this good fortune to good use.

Talent

Another factor is talent. Some people are born with a natural talent for something that gives them an advantage over those who don’t have that talent.

There’s no denying that.

But here’s the good news, hard work can overcome talent if the talent doesn’t work hard enough. 

Sure, for the majority of the situations, talent will still win. But the select few times when the untalented person has worked ten times more than the talented one, the talented won’t even stand a chance.

At the end of the day, it’s all about skill. The person who has developed his skill to the highest level will beat the person who was born with the skill but has yet to make an effort to take it to the highest level.

Opportunities

The last factor is opportunities. Some people have the talent and the hard work but don’t have the opportunities to showcase their skills and abilities.

Now, this is where a lot of people from low-income countries are stuck. Opportunities don’t bless us all equally.

Some places have all more opportunities than people willing to take up those opportunities. In contrast, other places need more of them to go around for even half the population.

So if you are currently in a place where there’s enough opportunity for you to shine, consider yourself lucky. Don’t let this gift go away. 

Take it. And use it to the fullest extent.

However, if you’re one of the unlucky ones to be born in a place with few opportunities, know there’s still hope for you. 

You have a few options. You can either:

• Physically move to a place where there are more opportunities.
• Virtually look for opportunities in other places using the power of the internet.
• Create your own opportunities based on the current situation you find yourself in.

Each approach has its pros and cons, and you must look at each one thoroughly before committing to one.

Value of smart work

The most important thing, however, that is required for success is smart work. Working smart is all about working efficiently and getting things done the right way. It’s about being organized, focused, and wisely using your time and resources.

Hard work is still essential, of course. But if you’re working hard without working smart, you’re not going to be as effective as you could be. Working smart means getting more done in less time, which is a skill that can be learned.

So how do you work smart? Simple answer — Leverage.

Using Leverage to Work Smart

The Dictionary Definition of Leverage is “to use something that you already have in order to achieve something new or better.”

In the context of our discussion here, Leverage is using other people’s time, money, and resources to achieve your goals. For example, you might use technology to automate tasks, or you might delegate tasks to others. 

When you use Leverage, you use your resources to get the most out of them. For example, you might use other people’s money to start a business, or you might use your network of contacts to get a job.

And the secret to using Leverage most effectively is by opening up a business. 

There’s only so much you can do at a job besides trading your time for money.

Unless you have a side hustle alongside your job, you’re not making any substantial sum of money that can help you achieve your goals. Most times, your just making enough money to go by.

Great financial success is rarely achieved with a well-paying job.

That is not to say that millionaires have not come out of working a job. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai is an excellent example of that. But I’m yet to see a billionaire employee.

How to Work Smarter, Not Harder

There are a few key things you can do to start working smarter:

1. Set clear goals and priorities. 

Before you start your day, take a few minutes to think about what you need to accomplish. What are your most important tasks? What can wait? By setting clear goals, you’ll be able to focus your energy on the things that matter most.

2. Make a plan. 

Once you know your goals, it’s time to make a plan of attack. How are you going to achieve those goals? What steps do you need to take? Having a plan will help you stay focused and on track.

3. Take breaks. 

It might seem counterintuitive, but taking breaks can actually help you be more productive. When you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed, take a few minutes to yourself to relax and rejuvenate. A short break can help you clear your head and return to your work refreshed and ready to focus.

4. Delegate and outsource. [Most Important]

Trying to do everything yourself is a recipe for disaster. Learn to delegate tasks and outsource work when necessary. You can’t do everything, and that’s okay. Accept help from others, and you’ll be able to get more done.

5. Avoid distractions. 

Getting sidetracked when you’re working is easy, but staying focused is essential. Turn off your phone, close your email, and eliminate any other distractions. By staying focused, you’ll be able to get more done in less time.

Working smart is an important skill to have in today’s world. By being efficient and organized, you can get more done and achieve your goals. Start putting these tips into practice, and you’ll be surprised at how much you can accomplish.

Why you should never give up

When the world seems to be against you, and all your hard work isn’t producing any results, the thought of giving up might entice you.

But remember, it is not an option.

Giving up is the easiest thing to do when things get tough. But it’s also the worst thing you can do.

When you give up, you’re giving up on yourself. You’re telling yourself that you’re not good enough and don’t have what it takes to achieve success.

Sure, sometimes, giving up on a particular direction and changing course might be a good thing to do — especially when you’re stuck at something that isn’t meant for you. Success isn’t all about winning all the time, of course. But giving up on work never accomplishes anything.

You must keep fighting, pushing, and working hard until you achieve your desired success.

Hard Work and Perseverance Quotes

Here are some quotes about hard work and perseverance from prominent, authors, scientists, athletes and entertainers that’ll get you fully charged:

1.

Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.

Pele

2.

Fall seven times and stand up eight.

Japanese Proverb

3.

Many of life’s failures are people who did not realise how close they were to success when they gave up.

Thomas Edison

4.

Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other.

Walter Elliot

5.

The only guarantee for failure is to stop trying.

John C. Maxwell

6.

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.

Winston Churchill

7.

It always seems impossible until it is done.

Nelson Mandela

8.

Perseverance is a positive, active characteristic. It is not idly, passively waiting and hoping for some good thing to happen.

Joseph B.Wirhlin

9.

The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.

Vince Lombardi

10.

Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don’t recognize them.

Ann Landers

11.

If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it.

Michael Jordan

12.

Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.

Newt Gingrich

13.

I learned the value of hard work by working hard.

-Margaret Mead

14.

The only thing that overcomes hard luck is hard work.

Harry Golden

15.

If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.

Michael Jordan

16.

Many of the great achievements of the world were accomplished by tired and discouraged men who kept on working.

Oscar Wilde

17.

Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.

Harriet Beecher Stowe

18.

No one succeeds without effort. Those who succeed owe their success to perseverance.

Ramana Maharshi

19.

Patient perseverance is well doing is infinitely harder than a sudden and impulsive self-sacrifice.

Horace Mann

20.

Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.

Napoleon Hill

21.

Success consists of getting up just one more time than you fall.

Oliver Goldsmith

22.

Success is sweet. And sweeter if long delayed and gotten through many struggles and defeats.

Amos Bronson Alcott

23.

The person interested in success has to learn to view failure as a healthy, inevitable part of the process of getting on the top.

Joyce Brothers

24.

Our greatest weakness in life is giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.

Thomas A.Edison

25.

Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.

Tim Notke

26.

Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.

Maya Angelou

27.

Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all.

Sam Ewing

28.

The only thing standing between you and outrageous success is continuous progress.

Dan Waldschmidt

29.

Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.

Stephen King

Conclusion

From reading the article above, it should be clear to you that Hard Work and Perseverance are important. In fact, they are the most vital. But they’re not the only things that are important. 

You also need luck, talent, and opportunities. But most importantly, you need to work smart and use Leverage. There’s only so much you can do alone, without Leverage.

Lastly, it might be tempting to give up, especially if your hard work isn’t producing results. In such a case, you should re-evaluate your situation, give up on certain areas if necessary and continue to move forward. The main thing is never to give up.