I often come across someone posting, full of elation and pride, some recent accomplishment of theirs, and in their moment of glory, hashtagging-galore things to the effect of “#hardworkpaysoff” or some variation of that.
I agree to some extent… Oftentimes, NOT always, does hard work (along with proper preparation) pay some dividends down the line, when you are trying to accomplish something of note.
I USED to believe that ANY TIME you put in hard work and effort, you would automatically be rewarded and obtain your desired outcome. Well, sorry folks, I’ve since GROWN UP, and realized that the world does NOT work like that.
It CAN sometimes pan out that way. You set yourself a goal, you prepare, you plan, you execute, and you achieve your outcome. Congrats! Case closed. “Next challenge, please!”
However, I’ve also learned along my way, that while you might have the right ideas, the good goals, the right reasons, and lots of courage, and effort and energy toward your task, you might still, in the end, fall short and on your face. “$^(&*#!! that did not go as planned!”
The question is WHY do sometimes our human efforts, labors and toils fall short of the desired outcome??? Ask 100 people, get 70 different answers. Ask 10 philosophers, get 20 different answers. Ask 5 lawyers, all say “it depends”.
I cannot always give an accurate answer on this point myself. Here are some of my own observations, from my own life experiences, and from watching of others, in general terms:
- In some cases, the work and effort might not have been enough.
- sometimes the work and effort was spent the ‘wrong way’ on the ‘wrong thing(s)’
- sometimes our motivations and reasons behind seeking something were not of the highest and best intention (or the greatest good)
- sometimes our work and effort was against the free will of others involved, and their free will (and hence their effort) was stronger than yours, especially in adversarial settings where one side wins, and the other by definition has to lose.
- sometimes our timing is off, and not in congruence with the Divine, meaning either we are not ready, or it’s not yet time for that what we wish for.
- sometimes that which we desired in the end is not to our own highest and greatest benefit, and perhaps instinctively we “know” this and subconsciously undermine our own efforts (i.e. blockage).
- sometimes we knowingly get in our own way, sabotaging our selves, by our fears, blocks, notions, limitations, most (if not all) of which are self-imposed.
- perhaps that which we currently seek (or THINK we seek!) is something which will never come to fruition because our pre-birth life plan has already made other provisions in that regard, no matter how hard or diligent you work for a particular thing. Your pre-birth life plan will usually “outrank” your current, momentary desires, moods, preferences, etc. , although it is not fully clear to us to what extent, if any, our consistent and persistent free will can alter certain aspects of our pre-birth life plan (also “soul contract”).
As you see, there can be a myriad of reasons, or even a combination of several reasons why you might not achieve a particular goal or objective, despite your perceived hard efforts, work, dedication, energy, etc.
People should be very wary of falling into that “hard work = success”
-trap. It’s a very dangerous trap set up for us by our parents, families, loved ones, caregivers and teachers, which bears a very shaky resemblance to the truth, at best. Blindly believing it will only set you (or others) up for some grave disappointments along the way.
When people succeed at something, it’s very important to get the overall very “big picture” or the proverbial 30,000 feet altitude view of the circumstances. Oftentimes, their success is a beautiful coming-together of synchronicities of:
(1) right time,
(2) right place,
(3) right people or resources available,
(4) right energies invested,
(5) right intention, and
(6) right effect on the greatest and highest good of all involved.
If you have all 6 of these firing in the right sequence at the right time, and the “stars align in your favor”, then your work and efforts will pay off. If not, …. then probably NOT, regardless of how badly you wanted it.
