I have learned a lot about persistence from my wife.
Being a novelist, and loving what she does, and knowing that without “product” (in her case books) she has nothing to sell and no hope at making a living – she is always working.
She keeps track of her hours now, because for a while she didn’t feel she was working hard enough and wanted to see exactly how much she was working. On average she works about a 40 or 50 hour week, that’s just writing, doing research and marketing her writing. She only clocks the time that she is actually working not just “at work”. She doesn’t even really count the many hours she spends thinking about the next project or the current problem.
Most people I know say they work 40 hours a week, but I’ve worked in offices and warehouses and other places before. I’ve seen first hand that usually people are not flat out working for those 40 hours. There’s some time spent to say hi to everyone, there’s going to the bathroom, and talking about how your weekend was and so on.
My wife rarely takes a “weekend”, that is two days off in a row, let alone a “holiday”.
She is the most committed and persistent person I know and she inspires me.
So what have I done today, this holiday Monday?
You guessed it. I’ve been working.
And here’s the thing. I suggest to everyone out there that you do the same.
Now I’m not suggesting that you go to your day job (the office or plant or wherever) and clock some hours, I’m saying – what is it you love to do? Do you dream of working for yourself or someday turning that hobby that you love into something that will make money for you? Do you dream of doing something – ANYTHING – other than your day job?
If so you are not alone, lots of people don’t like their “work”. So what I’m suggesting is find the “work” you do like. Spend that holiday Monday or Friday working on your passion. You still have your weekend to rest if you want it, but devote your holidays to that “work” in your life that really matters.
You won’t regret a minute of it.
So until the next time here’s me saying: keep laughing and working on the important things in life.