Why Working Hard Won’t Make You Rich and What to Do Instead
I don’t remember a time when my parents weren’t working hard.
They were both blue-collar workers, the kind with permanently stained fingernails who spent more time in work clothes than any other attire, other than maybe pajamas. They taught me to work hard too.
You’ve probably heard the same refrain that was a common one in my home: “If you work hard, you’ll succeed.” It sounds good, doesn’t it? But how many hard workers do you know who have made it rich?
Some of the hardest workers that I know, many of them women, check the boxes, come in early, stay late, go above and beyond and all of that hard work only leads to burnout, not breakthroughs.
The Problem with “Work Harder”
I could go off on a tangent, but I’ll keep it simple. The math ain’t mathing.
Working harder inherently depends on you, and as wonderful as you are, you are a very limited resource. You have a finite number of hours that you can use to make money. In many cases, your hourly rate is determined by someone outside of you and that rate rarely keeps up with the cost of living. You can live below your means, work full time plus and still not strike it rich.
Here’s the thing: hard work isn’t necessarily the enemy—it’s just not the magic ingredient for building wealth. Consistent, intentional, aligned effort paired with wealth-building principles is what you need. When you start applying these, and eliminating sabotaging behaviors, you’ll start to see the results you hope for.
So, how do you make that shift? Here are three ways to stop hustling for the sake of hustling and start creating wealth in a way that works with you—not against you.
Prioritize Rest and Recovery as Part of Your Strategy
If you were raised to not be “lazy” this one may be hard for you. But overworking leads to diminishing returns. Studies show that creativity and productivity increase when you allow yourself regular breaks. Schedule rest just like you would any important meeting and watch how recharging your energy improves both your decision-making and performance.
Adopt a Value-Based Approach
Instead of focusing solely on the hours you work, think about the value you provide. Years ago, I switched from offering my consulting work on an hourly basis. While some people see this as a money grab, it’s all about my approach to work. I’m good at what I do and often it takes me LESS time than it takes other people to help people have success. My approach is designed to help people move in the right direction and see success as quickly as possible. But, if I charge by the hour, I would actually get paid less than others, because it doesn’t take me as many hours. That doesn’t work for me. So instead, I charge by the value of the project. Value isn’t about quantity—it’s about the impact you create. When you focus on that instead of the number of hours that you need to provide, you’re one step closer to living a rich life.
Invest in Systems That Work for You
My motto for my clients is that anything you will need to do more than once should be systemized. Whether it’s an automated welcome sequence for new clients or outsourcing tasks that are complicated for you but easy for someone else, the right systems can actually make you money. I can remember the first time I woke up to a sale of one of my digital products. I didn’t know exactly where it came from, but some system that I had set up was up and working at 7 am while I was grabbing a few extra winks and that felt amazing.\
Ready to stop running in circles? It’s time to reframe your relationship with money.
Before you can change how money shows up in your life, you have to change how you think about it. Beliefs like “I have to sacrifice everything to succeed” or “Money is selfish” sabotage your ability to grow wealth. I keep a stack of prop money in my office, and every so often I count it out, just like a bank teller. It might sound silly, but it’s a tangible way to normalize the feeling of holding cash and to train my brain to believe that money flows easily to me.
Another simple shift? Track every dollar that comes in, no matter how small, and pause to feel gratitude for it. That $25 Venmo payment for helping a friend or the unexpected refund check in the mail? Acknowledge it as proof that money moves toward you. A counter to that one is to intentionally pause when spending money and consciously choose to be grateful for the money you spend or even say a mantra, such as “There is always money returning to me”.
When you start to engage with money in ways that feel good, you chip away at old, limiting beliefs and build a mindset that actually attracts wealth.
If you’re ready to stop treating money like a constant struggle and start creating a life where rest, value, and smart systems work in your favor, let’s talk. Click here to book your consultation and we’ll map out your first steps toward making money work for you—not the other way around.