There is no substitute for hard work and hustle.
“Smart” work will never replace hard work. It can only compliment it.
Wherever there are differing opinions, there are truths to be learned.
Hustle
Everyone has a person in their life that is naturally good at almost anything they attempt. It a short amount of time, these people can pick up a new sport or skill and be not just average, but good. These people see success without putting in a lot of effort. These people can be frustrating to watch.
I’ve never been one of these people.
If you ask 10 people that know me casually, they might disagree. Things always look different from the outside.
I learned early on from my father that you don’t have to be the most talented to be the best, but you better be willing to work.
Working hard, hustling, and grinding it out has been the story of my life. I’ve never viewed myself as the most talented in the room, but I’ve never been afraid to work.
Past Success Doesn’t Guarantee Future Success
After tasting success it’s easy to get complacent and think that what got you to where you are today will take you to where you want to go.
Nothing is further from the truth.
My first job out of high school was a commission based door-to-door sales job. It wasn’t sexy, it wasn’t glamoris, it was work. I had no prior sales experience and am naturally introverted. I worked long, smart, and hard. I become dangerously good. Within a few short years I was making money that would have taken me eight years in school and a doctorate to make at a regular job. I love money, but it’s always been more about the game than the money for me.
Four years into my sales gig I knew I needed a change. I was getting comfortable and felt stuck. In January of this year (2017) I launched a software company. With complete confidence in myself and my abilities I set out to conquer the world. I naively assumed that my past success would result in this business being an instant and certain success. I stopped doing the things that brought me results in all my previous endeavors. I stopped getting up early. I quit reading and educating myself. I let my eating habits go. I spent hours upon hours scrolling the feeds of Facebook and Instagram and became more concerned about looking like a success than actually being one.
You Reap What You Sow
Over an 8 month period I had averaged less than 30 hours of work per week on my business. I spent more time playing pickleball and working out than I did focusing on my company. I had clients that were unhappy and nothing to show for my menial efforts.
I had been rewarded exactly what I had put in.
On July 27th I sat down and reflected on how far I had fallen. My wife and I had a real discussion about where to go from here. Up until that point I had cast blame on my developers and lack of knowledge in the software space. It had been the easy thing to do, but hadn’t resulted in any earnings.
My wife looked me in the eyes and told me it was time to step up and start taking care of my family. She suggested I go get a job. I refused, but also wasn’t ignorant to the fact that if I didn’t make some changes quick, I had no other option.
I bought myself four days and told her I would generate $3,000 by the end of the month or I would go get a job. I knew how to build websites, generate online leads, and do SEO. It wasn’t ideal and would be hard work but I had no other option.
Within 72 hours I had collected $3,000 in business and bought myself another month.
Cotton Tree Media was born.
Cotton Tree Media
A fire had been lit under my belly. Something changed inside me that day.
I became hungry.
Everything in my life that was a hobby or a luxury was cut that day. That little taste of success brought back an insatiable desire for success.
What were previously 30 hour work weeks turned into 60 hour work weeks overnight. In order to do this without sacrificing all my family time, I committed to getting up no later than 5:00 AM each morning.
I cut out energy drinks and soda pop that day as well. Anything that I believed could give me just a little bit of an edge, I immediately implemented.
Three months has passed since that day. Cotton Tree Media has nearly doubled in revenue each month.
There has been an immediate and obvious correlation between the effort that’s been put into the business and the success of the company as a whole.
Hard work can never be replaced.
