Is Hard Work Enough?

In a recent conversation we were discussing things our group could do to get better. A comment was made about how mistakes were made yes, but they were working hard on the problem. It got me thinking about how often we are working hard, but yet aren't being effective. The analogy that popped into my head as I reflected on this concept was as follows.

Imagine if you have to put a post in your yard, you know you have to dig a hole. You dig that hole and you work hard at it. When you are done you have a hole and worked up quite a sweat doing it. You are probably sore and maybe even have a few blisters. Nobody would deny that you didn't work hard. But if the hole is in the wrong spot in your yard that hard work really meant nothing. Worse, if you started digging and didn't call the utility companies you could have dug a hole and cut a wire causing a very expensive and perhaps even deadly problem.

Working hard is important, but make sure we are working hard at the right things.

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