There is work, and there are results.

The two go hand-in-hand.

For example, you can’t get results without putting in work. But just because you put in the work doesn’t mean you’ll get results.

"One of the reasons people don't achieve their dreams is that they desire to change their results without changing their thinking." -- John C. Maxwell, Thinking For a Change

Furthermore, just because you get results doesn't mean your work is meaningful.

The gamer who sits at home playing Call of Duty alone in his parents' basement may be killing it, but has he really made anyone else’s life better?

"Your work is the single greatest means at your disposal for expressing your social intelligence. By being efficient and detail oriented in what you do you demonstrate that you are thinking of the group at large and advancing its cause." -- Robert Greene, Mastery

When you’re not getting results, try changing your thinking. Try looking at your problem from a different angle. Ask yourself different questions. When you do, your results will change. Maybe not for the better, but you’ll at least walk away with data that can inform your next move.

On the flip side, regardless of the results you’re getting, ask how you can deepen the meaningfulness of your work. How can your work advance the cause of your tribe?

Eventually, you’ll strike the right balance between the two—doing meaningful work that positively affects others and getting results that reward your efforts.

There is work, and there are results.

The two go hand-in-hand.

About the Author

Michael Mehlberg

HUSBAND, FATHER, ENTREPRENEUR, BUSINESS STRATEGIST, AUTHOR, FITNESS NUT, ORGANIZATION FREAK, PRODUCTIVITY JUNKIE

I help high-achieving entrepreneurs organize their brain and schedule so they can organize their life and business.

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