By Goretti Kimani
Hard work has been the cornerstone of honest success stories. Hard work is a timeless virtue that cuts across cultures and professions.
The Oxford Dictionary defines laziness as “the quality of being unwilling to work or use energy”. In many societies lazy people are looked down upon. They are considered to be suckers who want to reap where they have not sown, masters in the game of deceit, excuses, shortcuts, and procrastination.
Laziness manifests itself in different ways. From the job search stage to the shop floor the symptoms are evident all around us.
Perennial lateness, for instance, is the preserve of lazy people who cannot sustain a culture of rising early. Such people will arrive late for a job interview, doctor’s appointment, social function or even the office, and always have a ready excuse for their bad behavior.
Another predominant feature of lazy people is that they, at best, bite as much as they can chew. The reality is that, you can never achieve your potential unless you learn to exert yourself.
Laziness is a load
Irrespective of the form, laziness is a load and nothing is more exhausting than searching for easy ways to make things happen. Laziness keeps self perpetuating, and inevitably leads to poverty. Besides, you can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.
The good news is that laziness is not permanent. Rather it is a manifestation of a consistent culture of making the wrong choices. As with all bad habits it can be cured with determination and focus.
Getting over it
So how do you get over laziness?
Some honest answers to the following questions can help shed light here. Are you an early riser? Are you really in charge of your life? Do you have a habit of completing assignments? Do you like putting off things to another day? Do people enjoy or dread working with you? How much do you like work? Do you consider yourself a risk taker? Do you like giving others a helping hand? Are you in the habit of giving excuses for consistent failings? Are you averse to work related pressure?
When all is said and done, action is still the antidote of laziness. Take a closer look at where you are and where you would like to be and set in motion the chain of events to get you there.
Radical changes
This will definitely involve some radical changes in your life and career. Issues such as learning to wake up early or keep time, shedding off bad influence and even taking some extra courses will suffice. Envisage being famous for finishing important difficult tasks. Focus on actively participating in solving problems at work and taking leading roles to help boost your agility, patience and persistence. Do not shy away from taking difficult or extra assignments.
Finally become decisive, As Harry fox one said, indecision is like standing in the middle of the road – you get knocked done by traffic going both ways. Once you decide, keep moving. You may vary the speed but whatever you do never stop.
