Fascinating, refreshing and honest post – thanks for this. The relevance this post has to me and my newborn-business is 100%, and I’ll be shortly providing a link back here in a post you’ve inspired

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Sahil Merchant Reply:
November 23rd, 2009 at 1:58 pm

Hi Laneth, nice to know that this post has been useful to at least one person. Makes the 2am Saturday morning finish suddenly feel worthwhile!

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Laneth Sffarlenn Reply:
November 23rd, 2009 at 2:05 pm

Heh, glad I gave you that sense of satisfaction there!

It truly is a good read, and one that a lot of people need to read IMO, regardless of whether they get all huffy or not.

When you’re a little one-man-band, working full time and trying to build up a business, there’s no question that the hours and effort you put in are those that reap the rewards.
I’m starting up now, working full time and without the ability to leave this job to study and gather further skills due to a mortgage that needs to be paid…My learning and work comes from hours spent on my laptop after work, before and after dinner and while my wife is trying to sleep.
Acknowledging the importance of hard work, and accepting that short cuts aren’t always going to work (and really, is it worth taking short cuts? Isn’t it undermining your skills and professional integrity?) for everyone.

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I’m a lazy entrepreneur. I’d much rather work a few hours a day and have someone smarter than me running and growing my businesses.

It’s not that I disagree with you. I’d just rather be down the beach of a Monday and letting my bank account grow than increasing the amount of grey hairs on my head.

But it’s too cool and overcast for the beach today. So I’m going to make a toasted cheese sandwich and listen to some jazz.

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Laneth Sffarlenn Reply:
November 23rd, 2009 at 2:23 pm

I guess for those who can, it’d be nice to be able to have someone do the work for you while you reap the benefits – that’s why multi-level marketing businesses are so good for the people in the top few tiers.

How about when you first started? When you had no time or cash to be able to laze about and delegate the tasks to someone else? Surely there was a point when you had to work to get to where you are now? (Otherwise, I’m doing it all wrong *lol*)

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Benny Z Reply:
November 23rd, 2009 at 2:44 pm

Well, I only became an entrepreneur in March of this year. And most of my money is being reinvested into a number of different ventures. So I think I’m still at the point of starting out.

Don’t get me wrong, I still work hard (when I do work), but there’s too much life to be living to justify working at 6am on a Sunday.

I would HIGHLY recommend reading The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris. It really struck a chord with me.

Kite surfing with a naked chick on my back sounds better than donning the suit and giving each of my clients a reach-around.

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Sahil Merchant Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 11:42 am

Benny – I think your comments illustrate perfectly that entrepreneurship means many different things to different people. The fact that you are investing in many different ventures makes you sound like a quasi angel investor. Don’t get me wrong, this is entrepreneurial. But for some of us, entrepeneurial means starting a company from scratch with nothing to back us up, no security, no fall back, and no ability to pay people to do the hard work for us.

I agree with Laneth that many of us ultimately aspire to get into a position where we can replicate what you suggest. But this doesn’t just fall into your lap. Nothing sounds better than sitting on a beach and having my bank balance grow. But, when creating a new company from scratch, the only way to do what you suggest is to have pre-existing wealth.

Benny Z Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 12:13 pm

I don’t have pre-existing wealth. Not even slightly. Those new ventures I’m investing are my own, which I’m building from scratch. Occasionally when I’m in the mood, I might work to 3am on any one of these projects — but ultimately, I make sure I give myself time off and let other people do the boring daily tasks.

For me, the aim of the game is freedom. I could easily work 20 hour days and reap the rewards later. But if I get hit by a bus in six months then the biggest thing I would regret was working instead of hanging with my friends at the beach.

Predicting my level of regret later defines my actions now. It’s actually how I came to be an entrepreneur.

Sahil Merchant Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 12:30 pm

You make an excellent point. We have different objectives. Your aim is freedom. Mine was wealth creation far beyond what I would have earned in the corporate world.

You are making a lifestyle call not to work 20 hours a day now and reap the rewards later in life, but to live in the now. I am making the exact opposite call.

You have reminded me that my entrepreneurial aims may not be the same as everyone elses. Perhaps the title of this blog post could be extended to “Why working smarter and not harder is crap advice for entrepreneurs with the objective of building global multi-trillion dollar businesses”

Laneth Sffarlenn Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 12:49 pm

I guess that there’s various methods for being motivated, however I’d rather use a system of positive reinforcement and encouragement to succeed.
From my point-of-view, using regret or fear in any venture isn’t the right motivator and can ultimately change the desired outcomes drastically.

I’d rather be excited by the prospects, enthusiastic about the work and goal, and strive for excellence than fear the repurcussions of a failed business. I’ve only just started my business, in web design, and can foresee a forked road whereby I either clearly succeed and build a good business, or a fail miserably and reinvent myself again.
The possibility of that failure is very real for me, and I am quite aware of it, however it isn’t the fear or concern for that failure that motivates me; it’s the passion I have for the work I do, and the help I give people and their success that drives me.

Benny Z Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 1:03 pm

Sahil: True! If that’s what motivates you my friend, godspeed.

Laneth: I think you’ve misunderstood me, somewhat. Fear of failure doesn’t dictate my life direction, but fear of regret. I became an entrepreneur because I didn’t want to hit 40 and regret not taking a chance. Business excites me and motivates me, as it does you, but failure doesn’t enter into the equation for me, otherwise I would still be a consultant in an office somewhere. When I’m on my deathbed, it’s not the failures that I’ll regret, but the chances I didn’t take and the living I didn’t do.

Laneth Sffarlenn Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 1:08 pm

Benny: I did mix myself up and flew off on a tangent-thought, and I do apologise – I am at work (lol, still a slave to the corporate condition…) and was typing between tasks.

Laneth Sffarlenn Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 1:13 pm

Ultimately, I see your point and can understand your sentiments about the review of one’s life at the end.
Perhaps where I was going was not the fear of failure but the involvement of regret at all – I’m a sucker for the saying, “Do not regret the things you’ve done, but those you did not do.”
Not to say that having _any_ regrets is a bad thing, but merely not letting the thought of regretting something dictate my actions.

Again, this is just how I work and I completely respect your viewpoint and can even understand how it could be a good motivator and source of inspiration – I didn’t mean any offense if there was any caused.

Benny Z Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 1:31 pm

No need for apologies my friend, no offense taken at all. I actually think we’re on the same page. Your quote about regrets is exactly what directs my life, and was the point I was trying to make above (not well enough though, obviously!).

Ultimately, don’t want to regret the things I have not done, which is why, instead of working 24/7, I spend time at the beach, or out at dinner with friends, or falling off motorbikes in paddocks.

In my book, life experience is equally as important as money.

Laneth Sffarlenn Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 1:54 pm

I agree that life experience should be a major point on peoples’ life-lists.

I left home when I was 17 and spent 4.5 years living on the dole – without a job, several times without a home. But I lived well enough – I saw my friends all the time, I went out when I wanted and and experienced life in a way that suited my personal needs (which were and are quite different to a lot of people my age).
The difference is, I guess, that I got to have so many years of “freedom” between when I left home and before I got my first proper job at the age of 24 (Where I’m typing from now, and possibly soon to be former job if my business takes off next year) that I actually want to work now.

The other thing that brings me great joy is helping and supporting others to succeed – I’m eventually going to find myself in a position where I question why I’m earning what I earn helping others surpass my earnings*, but I take much more satisfaction from helping others succeed and enjoy life than I do actually “working” for a business.
Several times a year I help a few friends of mine who are authors at festivals – giving them a place to stay when they come interstate so they save on hotel & food costs, helping them sell and network with people at the festivals (both consumers and colleages) and just generally enjoying life and their work – this is the most rewarding thing I have in my life, besides my wife, and it’s this that ultimately drives me; the satisfaction derived from helping others in their success.

* When people say that “money doesn’t buy happiness”, I always want to argue. Money doesn’t buy the feeling of happiness, but it helps to achieve it when used properly.
Money was never created to be attained, horded or valued – it was created as a means to “barter” without losing one’s own items in the process. (No more giving your only goat to get the flour to make bread to feed the family!)
My point here is that I do aim to have a “decent” income, somewhere around double what I earn now – which is considered below the poverty line here in Australia apparently, so I have no ridiculous goals for my income – but that money pays off my house, and leaves me room to have a comfy life while doing what I like.

Billy Bob Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 4:32 pm

Benny you have it. IF you can make enough cash to be free you have made it in my opinion. The definition of free depends on responsibilities and personal values. You rock!

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Benny Z Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 4:59 pm

Laneth: I completely agree. Money itself doesn’t provide happiness, but it provides the means to find happiness.

Billy Bob: Thanks — I think everyone could agree on a broad definition of freedom, it’s just where you place yourself on that spectrum that differentiates each of us.

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I half agree. But there’s a point where you become less effective.

I used to work in community TV. We had a huge project come up, so my manager & I did a deal: I’d work normal-ish hours (ok, couple hours extra) & keep the studio running. He’d pull the all nighters for the project. The night before it was due, I stayed back late to help him.

The interesting thing about video editing is that you can see someone’s decision making process, their thought process, up on a screen. In real time, as they edit. I’d worked with him a lot before. He’s a good editor (better than me) and fast. But that night, after pulling so many all-nighters in a row, he was soooo slow. And not half as creative as usual – he was kinda relying on old ideas he’d had before. Yes, he got through it, but not as well as he could have…

Breaks and sleep and non-work times are important too.

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Sahil Merchant Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 11:52 am

Keep in mind that I did make the caveat around ensuring the additional hours put in equates to positive marginal returns. In a highly creative pursuit, I readily acknowledge that additional hours can equate to negative marginal returns.

I am not advocating that everyone should work crazy hours continuously. I agree that breaks and sleep are important and will ensure higher quality of work. However, there is a real difference when you are running a company in the initial stages and when you are working for someone else. Sometimes I would love to call it quits for the day, but I know that if I don’t do it, it won’t get done. I have 50 staff in two countries relying on my business for their pay cheques. Sometimes, I simply can’t afford to sleep.

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Hey Sahil, I am in agreement in that it seems a entrepreneur is now in competition with his fellow entrepreneur more than ever before unless he creates that “blue ocean” strategy. I blogged this the other day
http://bit.ly/3Igm3H .
What do you think of the idea of “preparing for failure” as a maxim in a world where everyone seems to be talking about “positive thinking” as the way to go & see the mere mention of the word “failure” as a failure?

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Sahil Merchant Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 11:56 am

I think we are only mildly advanced re our notions of failure. In the US, failures are celebrated as experience and part of earning your stripes. If someone has failed, it almost makes them more attractive in the future as they will be considered to have learned some lessons. When I lived in Europe, they were at the other extreme were failure was failure. Australia was somewhere in-between. I don’t think we have made much progress on this, which is strange for a culture that values having a go. My friends in Europe tell me that the attitude to entrepreneurial failures is slowly changing there, and I worry we will get left behind.

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Des Sherlock Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 1:20 pm

Yeah Sahil I think you have hit the nail on the head with me on this.
If I mention teh term “prepare for failure” a lot of people seem to get scared by the very use of the word “failure” as though it cannot be thought of let alone mentioned. But I love it! Preparing for failure, to me, means
leaving an hour earlier so I dont miss my plane. It means creating plan A, B, C, & D for what may eventuate. It means understanding that eventually I will die, so make the most of this life & dont peak too early though.
It means excircising to keep healthy to avoid the failures. Preparing for failure does nto mean I are planning to fail but rather planning not to but at teh same time am prepared to, in that I am taking the risks that most people don’t take. Think of the insurance industry tag line “prepare for failure” or a rock climber with a rope preparing for failure.
And finally tell one person that has gotten it perfectly right?
Lets face it we are all failures on the way to success!

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Sahil -

I think I would be careful with this line of argument – it always looks like there is more to be done, but I’m not so sure that the incremental return on work is going to stay positive. We had an ‘annus horibilis’ in 2007, and it felt like twelve months of 7 day weeks – and I can tell you that the tiredness and stress became a truly vicious circle, greatly reducing my effectiveness and that of my team. In hindsight, mandating weekends off for some of the team, and myself would have been smarter and we would have been further ahead at the end of the year.

On the other hand – time spent writing blogs for all of us to read is always well spent!

Jamie

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Sahil Merchant Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 12:05 pm

I agree with you. That is why I make the caveat about marginal returns being positive. If this is no longer the case, then additional work is destroying value. I also make the point that “as long as I can function the next day back at the same level”.

If a vicious cirlce of tiredness and stress develops and that impacts the team, then by all means get out of the joint. I would argue that in this case, you are no longer working smart and therefore not reaching the hygiene level.

And, I would never advocate such a regime for my staff. I am simply making the point that as long as you can continue to work smart and effective, 16 hours trumps 10 hours. Bit of a truism actually.

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Sahil, you’re 100% spot on.

And it’s interesting that most of the disagreement here comes from people who – shockingly – have not experienced a great deal of business success at this point.

The Four Hour Work Week is the biggest load of crap I’ve ever heard – it directly appeals to people who don’t want to work. Business = working your arse off to create something great.

If that’s not your goal, go back to your day job.

Of course, it’s not JUST hours – it’s the quality of what you do with those hours – but fundamentally you’re exactly right.

Success, at least in the short term, is created by (as Gary Vaynerchuck would say) Crushing It … Working Until your Eyeballs Bleed.

Sure, once you’ve developed some momentum you can get the right team around you and then things begin to change (slowly!). But a real entrepreneur will probably just jump right back in the deep end and start doing more business stuff in other areas.

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I can see points from both sides of the Longer hours v’s Work Smarter debate.

Watching my partner working at making something of his business has shown me that getting a business off the ground takes long hours, hard work & a truck load of dedication.
He is competing with much larger competitors, and as Sahil stated, he cannot complete the same amount of work in 9 hours as they can.

On the other hand, when he has been putting in night after night of working into the wee hours of the morning I can see him heading towards an emotional & pysical burnout.
The quality & speed of his work drops, and he can end up doing more damage to his business than good.

That is where I step in as the nagging girlfriend, making him take a weekend off for himself. And as much as he argued the point to start off with, he has admitted that his work improved after the break.

Yes I agree, the investors don’t care if your relationships / family implodes, but will they be there for you in your old age?

A balance is needed.

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My ‘start-up’ just celebrated its 10th anniversary. I started the company when I was 22, full of energy and got used to pulling 18-20 hour days… now I am 10 years older

I’d agree there is something to be said for putting in a huge number of hours early in a new company’s history. You need to load up your brain with the latest and greatest thinking in so many new areas and pressing pause to sleep just lets it all drain out.

That is why Steve Wozniak says he can’t do start-ups anymore… he invented some amazing stuff in the early years at Apple and described working for days on end without sleep because that would have interrupted his chain of thought.

At some point you need to know when to back off, to delegate and let experts takeover… but if you really are doing something totally innovative you have to get ahead of the curve and there are a lot of smart people (and companies with more money) out there trying to do exactly the same thing.

The ability to work really fricken hard is one of the few competitive advantages you have when you are young… go for it!!!!

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Billy Bob Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 4:39 pm

Spot on! See my comment further down.

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How does one just ‘become’ an entrepreneur at a given date (Benny Z?). I thought entrepreneurs are born entrepreneurs. That is why people in the photocopy room stayed there and Sahil moved on… he is entrepreneurial, and they aren’t.

I’m sure Branson worked his ass off in his earlier years and most likely still does. But he sure has earnt that right to kite sure (not sure about the naked chick part, but then I’m not a guy so don’t see the appeal!)

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Billy Bob Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 4:38 pm

Nah, entrepreneurs are made. Anyone can get out of the photocopy room but it takes HARD work, focus and a vision. And most importantly PASSION because you are going to work for next to nothing for years and years. That’s why everyone is not entrepreneuruial. It is too hard for some.

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Benny Z Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 4:45 pm

I would like to think I was born an entrepreneur. But I didn’t come out of the closet, so to speak, until the opportunity afforded itself. I didn’t have the means to do it straight out of school. Just as I won’t be starting the 13 other business ideas I have stashed away — not until the opportunity arises, and I can pounce on it like a horny cat to a blanket.

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**Kite SURF

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Trying to get this straight. The poster of this blog article

1. Runs a newsagent outlet called MagNation?
2. Has made what or done what or earned what?
3. Is therefore going to advise us on…work habits?

Huh?

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Sahil Merchant Reply:
November 25th, 2009 at 12:20 am

http://anthillonline.com/every-journey-has-a-start/

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Will T Reply:
November 25th, 2009 at 3:59 pm

What this earlier article shows is that you have held junior positions for a few years in a consulting company and then as you put it been a note-taker at CEO forum. Excuse me, but other than having raised $7m from investors to start a new concept newsagent, what have you achieved in terms of results that makes you an authority on how to work or anything else? Raising money is only an achievement if you do something worthwhile with the money and it seems the jury is still out on that one.

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Benny Z Reply:
November 25th, 2009 at 4:12 pm

Who says you have to have significant marks on the board in order to have ideas and opinions worth listening to?

I, for one, enjoy reading article from young entrepreneurs just as much as old, worn-out executives.

Whether I agree with Sahil or not, he’s testing ideas and theories, and I like that.

Laneth Sffarlenn Reply:
November 25th, 2009 at 4:26 pm

Do we now have to step into the territory of defining explicitly of what makes an entrepreneur?
Do you have to have successes or failures already achieved, or can one be in the first stages of being an entrepreneur and still call oneself thus?

Since it doesn’t come with a degree or course, there’s no restrictions on using the title before you “graduate”, unless we want to apply the archaic university system in which the “title” cannot be used without the “degree”, and in this case graduation would either be a success or failure.

Doesn’t really seem fair, but I can see why some would think this way.
And, I’m with Benny Z in that it’s refreshing reading opinions and articles such as this one as it inspires thought and creative intent, and also lets some know that they should keep working at their dream with the possibility that they might actually achieve their goal.

Paul Ryan Reply:
November 25th, 2009 at 4:42 pm

Hi Will.

You are, of course, entitled to your opinion and encouraged to voice it here. However, if you’re going to take aim at someone who is being candid, the least you can do is discard your anonymity. Many people find the constructive debate in these comments sections interesting. But it’s difficult to take hecklers from the bleachers seriously.

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/11/how-to-lose-an-argument-online.html

Sahil Merchant Reply:
November 25th, 2009 at 7:42 pm

Hi Will. I think you have misunderstood the reason I provided that link. It wasn’t to prove my credibility to you. Some of Australia’s best entrepreneurs and corporate executives would be happy to do that and I don’t feel the need to try to impress you with all the things I have or have not done.

Rather, it was to highlight that I am not here to advise you. I simply provide an opinion formed out of my ongoing entrepreneurial journey. Agree, disagree or be ambivalent. That is your prerogative.

Working smarter is always the best policy. And whoever said working smarter doesn’t mean working hard?

I believe in always looking for smarter ways to work. In fact, that’s what being an entrepreneur is all about!

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Sahil Merchant Reply:
November 25th, 2009 at 12:17 am

I think you may have misinterpreted my post. I never say that working smart is inconsistent with working hard. My point is that most talented people work smart. It is the minimum bar. Working smart and hard versus working smart and slacking off – one is obviously going to have a better result than the other. The aim of my post was simply to share my experience which is that it is damned hard to build a successful start up without putting in the hours. Working smart is not a substitute for hard work.

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I’m glad you mentioned diminishing returns, you have thought it out well. There comes a time when you will burn out so keep an eye out for it. For some it is weeks, months or years but you can only sprint for so long. Fortunately when you are young, fit and having fun with it you can run a long time. Run! Love it! but remember to take a break now and again.
Love, mom (well i sound like her anyway).

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Thanks for another post which totally says what I feel. I’m sure that there are many people out there who manage to achieve what I’ve achieved much faster, and yes I hate them too. There is no substitute for slogging your guts out (at times) and when you’ve “made it” (whatever your definition of that is) your success will be that much sweeter.

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I think that might be the best article I’ve ever read…on any topic.

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Paul

Your point about ‘hecklers from the bleachers’ seems to be: who you are matters to the credibility of what you have to say. Thanks for articulating this point! It is what I was trying to say. If Anthill ran an article by Kermit the Frog on how to run business it might not be taken very seriously by readers. So where are the Anthill articles written by 20 or 30 year entrepreneur veteran successes? If Anthill is just articles by people in their business adolescence so-to-speak it is not very insightful, except for other adolescents.

I note that Sahil has modestly acknowledged that his article is just what it is – his experience and not advice. I wish him good luck.

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Paul Ryan Reply:
November 28th, 2009 at 4:36 pm

Will, I certainly wasn’t the only one who thought your earlier comments were unconstructive and a thinly veiled attempt to belittle Sahil and what he is trying to achieve with this blog. The reason it stuck out was that we don’t get many comments like that here on Anthill, and when we do they are invariably posted by people who prefer to do so anonymously. We have even tracked a few of these back to people motivated by personal grudges – so it has to do with context, not authority.

Sahil’s blog has been one of the most popular since it launched on Anthill. While some readers may disagree with him or even question his authority to provide “advice” at all, many more greatly value the no-crap insights he is sharing about his startup journey.

As stated in his launch post, his observations are subjective. The value lies in his candour and willingness to share the entrepreneurial truth as he sees it, even if this makes him a potential target of criticism.

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Paul,

I believe Will T’s comments to be valid and although quite candid, weren’t offensive. Like others have said: “Everyone is entitled to their opinion.” To call Will T a heckler is a bit extreme.

If Anthill wants open and honest discussion on its forums then authors and staff need to refrain from commenting on respondents posts altogether. Frequently authors congratulate their supporters and chastise their critics. This practice only serves to discourage criticism.

I also think posting links to some ‘authority’, rather than espousing your own point of view, to be poor online etiquette.

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James Tuckerman Reply:
November 29th, 2009 at 2:17 pm

Hi Tim.

I value your opinion as someone prepared to comment openly (without the veil of anonymity).

But, as Editor-In-Chief, I couldn’t disagree more.

When authors and staff start avoiding entering the discussion… well… that’s the day that we have been bought by News Ltd.

In fact, it’s one step before removing comments altogether.

The greatest thing about online opinion and news is the depth of the discussion that comes about from the contributions of many. To prohibit staff (and the author, ye gads!!!) is just silly.

In the history of Anthill, we have only censored two discussions.

In both cases, the comments were anonymous and escalated into personal attacks (and breached our extremely liberal ‘Engagement Policy’ – http://anthillonline.com/terms-conditions/).

We may have unfairly judged Will T. However, we have also became quite good at spotting the occasional ‘grudge-comment’. (Tell-tale sign #1: Anonymous, tailored gmail address created specifically for the post).

At the same time Tim, I do value YOUR comments, as someone prepared to share a view without a disguise (even when I don’t agree).

So, keep ‘em coming, Sir Tim, Defender of the Hecklers.

Even Statler and Waldorf made Fozzie Bear a better act.

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Leela Cosgrove Reply:
December 1st, 2009 at 6:41 pm

***WARNING*** TOTALLY OT

Tim, the whole reason we write blogs and not articles is for interaction. If I wanted no discourse with my readers, I’d send my work as articles to a print magazine – I don’t know how much you’ve been following the whole blog thing over the last 8 years, but the #1 point for writing them – everywhere I’ve seen – is to interact with readers and clients.

Removing that from the equation would entirely defeat the purpose.

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Sahil, if I didn’t know better I’d swear you were post baiting!

Good to see some of the comments give you credit for the genuine openness of what you’re offering up, regardless of whether they get it, believe it or disagree.

Hope the King St store is kicking some big goals for you.

I”ll give you a call this week to catch up.

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Leela,

I find you remarks offensive and add nothing to this or any debate.

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Leela Cosgrove Reply:
December 1st, 2009 at 8:46 pm

I’ve been accused of being offensive in my time … for many reasons … but that’s kind random.

That’s got to be one of the least offensive things I’ve EVER written in my life … which bit did you find offensive??

The bit where I like to write because people respond to me and I get to have conversations?

Interaction with readers and clients?

Really – I’m confused. Normally I get where people are coming from when they’re annoyed at something I say … but I totally fail to see where I offended you on this one …

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Thor Reply:
December 1st, 2009 at 8:50 pm

Seems to be in stark contrast to previous supporting posts on your blog?

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Dear Sahil,

I’ve have just read all of your posts and all of the comments…bluddy great stuff..thank you all

And I’m grateful to Steve Sherlock for pointing me here.

I’m looking forward to your next article.

Cheers

Stephen G

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At the same time, work smarter not harder can still be relevant. For instance, a certain group who encourage people to grow moustaches for a month each year. This group takes a percentage of all donations to charities. They rely principally on low cost word of mouth advetising, they operate a website, they produce no tangible goods, they principally rely on the golden rules of Other People’s Time and Other People’s Money. They have gone global, working smart, not hard.

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The problem with quantity is that it take you hostage.
Every investor, every customer see how you business works with you in a “130% burn rate”-mode.

How are you ever going to slow that down.

I see you point, and sometimes I agree that putting in an extra full-time effort is necessary. (deadlines, extra opporutnities etc). But if life hits you (for a week etc) you have no extra effort to put in, since you’re already burning on your full capacity.

I see it as an engine. There is a reason that almost no engines in the world operates att 100% capacity. I believe in the 80/20 rule, and my strong belief is that if you cant fix it at 80% of your full capacity, you cant really fix it on 120% either. It just takes longer to realize… (and crasches your social life, family, physical and mental health on the way).

I wish you the best of luck, and hope that you find your balance and flow real soon.

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Take a gander at http://venturehacks.com/articles/laws-of-productivity

Summary: Science shows you only feel like you’re more productive from working upwards of 40 hours; in fact, you’re worse off in the long run.

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Thanks for the great content and information. I am always browsing the internet looking for good content to get ideas for my easy home based business blogs and articles. You have some real good content here so just keep on doing what you are doing as good stuff like this is always hard to find.
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