Work smart and hard, with heart
Work smart and hard, with heart
Work smart and hard, with heart
Work smart and hard, with heart
Repeat

Yes, it's a bit silly, I know. But not as silly as the trend for getting all your business and life insights online, in fast and entertaining lists**.

So, apologies if I had to be the one to break this to you, but there is just no substitute for hard and smart work.

Boring, I know: I'm sounding like my Dad and my Granddads (and every old man and woman in history). But that's for a reason......they were right about a lot of the things that build a foundation, and maybe now I'm old enough and 'street schooled' enough to know it.

There are no shortcuts. There is no magic pill or potion.....or list. Despite all the amazing benefits of having technology at our fingertips (I also love all the 'refreshers' in eg. the LinkedIn Pulse articles, especially the quality lists), the fundamentals have never changed. And never will.

You work hard to get smart. Then you work harder again to use your smarts to achieve your best level of success; not just in business, but in all of life. Even in leisure and love, the very best things never come easily.

And 'heart'? That drives sustainability and deep value. That is why it was said of the cardinal virtues: '.....and the greatest of these is love'.

So if you really thought you were getting another easy list full of 'secrets': SURPRISE! There is no avoiding the reality: it mostly just takes a lot of hard, smart and heartfelt work to be productive, and to live well......in all its meaning.

Notes:

*Well, it's almost guaranteed. You'll at least do better than you would without following this list! But, like anything in life, all the subtleties are not found in blog post lists.....

**Yes, I know it's a 'no-win' message: those who already know it will be rolling their eyes at the banality, and those who don't won't read or comprehend. But then I believe some will find value in the light irony......

Mark Henry, Dijon, March 11, 2014