The American belief in hard work has helped produce some of the most groundbreaking technological advancements in history. Today, however, it seems we’ve taken this work ethic to the extreme, working hard…very hard…often for minimal gain. In fact, working one’s self to a frazzle is not only expected in America today, it’s encouraged, with almost cultish zeal.
As Americans, we’re definitely overachievers. Some are motivated by the desire to keep up with the Joneses; others are obsessed with being, doing and having it all. If you buy into the hype, you might even believe that the whole world functions on this model – that nothing impressive can be accomplished without working yourself to death to make it happen. You would be wrong, however.
The stressed out American gets a lot of press but have you ever heard anyone talk about the stressed out Italian or the overworked Greek? It’s almost humorous to imagine these Mediterranean cultures, which boast some of the longest life spans on the planet, getting stressed about much of anything.
Every culture has its own values. Our culture values hard work and prides itself on being ahead of just about everyone on just about everything. It’s true that Italians may not have the blockbuster manufacturing and technological output that the U.S. does. They do, however, produce some of the highest quality and most desirable goods on the planet – men’s and women’s high fashion, the finest quality gold jewelry available, luxurious Carrera marble, world-class food and wine and, of course, the incomparable Ferrari and Lamborghini automobiles.
Italians value quality; quality goods and quality lives. They pursue balance and continue to value the things that have held their culture together for millennia – family, community, relaxation, nourishment and physical and spiritual well-being. Americans who put work above all else are missing what the Italians have known all along; life is meant to be lived, not just survived.
“Let’s face it: Today, free time matters more than swollen bank accounts,” says entrepreneur Timothy Ferriss, author of the book, The 4-Hour Workweek. “The schedule-cramming, do-it-all approach to time management is neither sustainable nor scalable, so the prospect of delegation isn't a matter of if, but when.”
It’s the smart American, not the hard-working American who understands the importance of delegation – to someone they can trust, like to a virtual assistant. This is more than just thinking it would be nice to have someone help with the things you can’t possibly do yourself. When you’re overworked and hanging by a thread, reaching for help is the smartest thing you can do. In America, we think of this as weakness but recognizing your limitations is actually strength.
Outsource to your personal assistant the tasks you’re too overworked to do. The job will get done and you can feel accomplished knowing you worked smart, not hard. There are plenty of other Americans out there slaving their day away. Why should you have to be one of them?
As Americans, we’re definitely overachievers. Some are motivated by the desire to keep up with the Joneses; others are obsessed with being, doing and having it all. If you buy into the hype, you might even believe that the whole world functions on this model – that nothing impressive can be accomplished without working yourself to death to make it happen. You would be wrong, however.
The stressed out American gets a lot of press but have you ever heard anyone talk about the stressed out Italian or the overworked Greek? It’s almost humorous to imagine these Mediterranean cultures, which boast some of the longest life spans on the planet, getting stressed about much of anything.
Every culture has its own values. Our culture values hard work and prides itself on being ahead of just about everyone on just about everything. It’s true that Italians may not have the blockbuster manufacturing and technological output that the U.S. does. They do, however, produce some of the highest quality and most desirable goods on the planet – men’s and women’s high fashion, the finest quality gold jewelry available, luxurious Carrera marble, world-class food and wine and, of course, the incomparable Ferrari and Lamborghini automobiles.
Italians value quality; quality goods and quality lives. They pursue balance and continue to value the things that have held their culture together for millennia – family, community, relaxation, nourishment and physical and spiritual well-being. Americans who put work above all else are missing what the Italians have known all along; life is meant to be lived, not just survived.
“Let’s face it: Today, free time matters more than swollen bank accounts,” says entrepreneur Timothy Ferriss, author of the book, The 4-Hour Workweek. “The schedule-cramming, do-it-all approach to time management is neither sustainable nor scalable, so the prospect of delegation isn't a matter of if, but when.”
It’s the smart American, not the hard-working American who understands the importance of delegation – to someone they can trust, like to a virtual assistant. This is more than just thinking it would be nice to have someone help with the things you can’t possibly do yourself. When you’re overworked and hanging by a thread, reaching for help is the smartest thing you can do. In America, we think of this as weakness but recognizing your limitations is actually strength.
Outsource to your personal assistant the tasks you’re too overworked to do. The job will get done and you can feel accomplished knowing you worked smart, not hard. There are plenty of other Americans out there slaving their day away. Why should you have to be one of them?
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