Hard Work is HEART Work

"Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as something done for the Lord and not for men." - Colossians 3:23 AMP

"I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious." - Vince Lombardi

"I don't like the subtle infiltration of 'something for nothing' philosophies into the very hearthstone of the American family. I believe that 'Thou shalt earn the bread by the sweat of thy face' was a benediction and not a penalty. Work is the zest of life; there is joy in its pursuit." - Branch Rickey

I once heard someone say that work is not a curse, but drudgery is. At the time I wasn't sure I agreed with that statement for two reasons: one, because I didn't know what that person meant, and two, because to me there was no difference. I thought work and drudgery were the same thing: boredom, a complete waste of time, just going through the motions doing something you hated, a nonstop cycle of frustration and misery with no plan, no passion, and worst of all, no purpose.

I am glad to say that as time has passed I learned my original assumptions about work were totally wrong. It is possible to do something you enjoy without feeling any misery. Work can be rewarding and creative, work can provide passion and sense of purpose to one's life, and work can be fulfilling to such a degree that even when you're done at the end of the day, you want to "sleep fast" because you can't wait for the next day to start so you can get up and do it again.

Working at what you enjoy can provide a "good tired," as I heard a friend say not long ago. What's a "good tired," you ask? It's the kind of tired you feel after working full out from the heart, engaged in activity that is totally in tune with who you are from the inside out, work that gives you a "no place else I'd rather be" feeling because it allows you to express who you truly are from the heart in "I work, therefore I am" manner. It's the kind of work that allows you to be your fully creative, fully unique self. It's the type of work that can only be done by someone like you because no one else can do what you do, the way you do it.

Of baseball, Doris Kearns Goodwin observed that it "allows you to think of nothing else."  People who are in tune with themselves feel the same way about the work they do. They are engaged in ways that allow them full expression of all their faculties: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual. To borrow a recently coined phrase from the game, they express themselves with "maximum effort." They can do so without distractions or detours. They're so into what they do they're like a dog in the hunt, they don't know (and don't care) if they've got fleas...now that's focus!

At day's end, they may feel exhausted but not drained, because they work to serve others, not to please them. They express their genuine selves without feeling the need to fake their way into gaining favor from anyone. They are energized, even rejuvenated, because they know their work was not in vain; that's what matters most. They know their contribution carries the potential to make a significant impact on the lives of others and it gives them a sense of purpose, fulfillment and pride they can't get anywhere else. They don't dread tomorrow but look forward to it because while they may stop to rest, they understand it is not just sleep, it's a recharge that lets them take on a new day with passion and a purpose, a purpose that helps them to be true to themselves and to others because it comes straight from the heart, which is the source of their strength:

"This is the true joy in life, being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. Being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as I live it is my privilege - my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me; it is a sort of splendid torch which I've got a hold of for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations." - George Bernard Shaw

If you don't want this:

DRUDGERY: boring, difficult, unpleasant work; dull, irksome, fatiguing work: uninspiring or menial labor

Then find something to do that makes your spirit soar, makes your heart sing. Find something to do that brings joy to your life and to the lives of other people. Do something that allows you to reach out from your heart to the hearts of others. Most of all, find something to do that lets you express the real you, the one with whom you most need to be true. Because no matter how hard you try to justify yourself, you cannot expect others to live to their true potential while you settle for living a lie. Don't cheat yourself like that:

Find your good cause. Bring your heart to your work, and work your heart out. When you do, you will achieve your finest hour, the moment when you'll be able to bask in the glow of your exhausted moment, spent, fulfilled...and victorious.

That's all for now, gotta run.  Until we meet again remember:

Keep it simple....See ya!