You Gain Through The Grind

People enjoy success stories. The like the feeling of seeing someone gain a big win on a television show or in a movie or in a book because it makes them believe it’s possible that one day they too will achieve an effortless overnight success — but very few of those shows, movies, and stories relate all months and years of the grind and hard work and sacrifice that went into gaining that big win.

The Grind Comes Before The Gain

No one is ever surprised by a big sales commission check just showing up on their desk one day. That’s because the person to whom that check is made out to knows all to well the hard work that went into “winning” that check.

They were grinding down the soles of their shoes as they pounded the pavement to track down leads and make cold calls and schedule appointments and pick-up invoice payments and a thousand other hurdles, tasks, and errands they had to overcome in order to earn that commission.

The Grind Makes The Gain More Rewarding

Would we cherish our gains as much if they came easily?
The National Endowment for Financial Education says about 70% of people who win a lottery prize or receive some other large monetary windfall typically go bankrupt within just a few years.

I think it’s because they didn’t have to grind to get those greenbacks. They didn’t make any personal sacrifices to pick some random numbers or use a scratch-off card.

There is a great feeling that goes along with going through the grind and knowing that you earned your success. The best part is that you’ll also know how to repeat your success. You went through all the steps — you left footprints. Just follow those footprints and go out and earn those dollars all over again.

You can’t do that with a lottery ticket.