--- title: On Working Hard and Effectiveness | The Sales Blog description: Sometimes success requires that you work harder. But the fact that you are working hard doesn’t mean you’re necessarily working. Your work is about achieving certain outcomes, not about being impressively busy. You can work really hard and still not get anything done. You can work long hours, come in early, stay late, and still […] image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2013-02-11-at-5_34_23-PM.png --- ### [Now booking SKO meetings for 2026/27! 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But the fact that you are working hard doesn’t mean you’re necessarily working. [Your work](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/go-to-work) is about achieving certain outcomes, not about being impressively busy. You can work really hard and still not get anything done. You can work long hours, come in early, stay late, and still not accomplish anything. You’ve had this experience, haven’t you? You can work very hard on tasks that don’t produce the results you’re really after. Some of these come [dressed like real work](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/it-feels-like-work-but-its-not). They look like the kind of work that might show up on your job description. But because something looks like work doesn’t mean that it’s the right work. And just because something needs done doesn’t make it the right work either. You can work really hard without producing results by choosing to do the work in the wrong order. It’s easy to choose tasks that are more pleasant over tasks that are unpleasant; it feels like you’re actually working. That work is better saved for some time after you’ve completed your most important work. Your effectiveness is determined by [what tasks](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/give-yourself-over-to-the-work) you choose to focus on and the effort you put into completing those tasks. On the long list of things you have to do each day, being effective may mean that you only cross off one item from your massive to do list. You can spend the whole day on a single task, not getting anything else done on your list, and still have a more effective day then you would have had you crossed off five items from the bottom of the list. It’s normal to gravitate towards more pleasant work. It’s normal to seek out less challenging work that can be completed faster. But how effective you are it’s going to be determined by what you choose to do and how willing you are to commit yourself to doing the very best work you are capable of. Less is more. More is less. [Fast to slow. Slow is fast](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/fast-is-slow-slow-is-fast). The key is effectiveness. #### Questions Are you working hard? Is the work you’re doing the work that you need to do to produce results? What work keeps you busy but doesn’t really produce results? How do get the difficult, results-producing work done first each day? What do you do to be effective? ###### Tags: [Productivity](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/productivity) [Goals](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/goals) [2013](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2013) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) on February 11, 2013 Written and edited by human brains and human hands. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success. Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn, X or Youtube. You can email Anthony at [iannarino@gmail.com](mailto:iannarino@gmail.com) [Follow me on my website](https://www.thesalesblog.com/anthony-iannarino) [Follow me on Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/thesalesblog) [Follow me on LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/iannarino/) [Follow me on Twitter ](http://www.twitter.com/iannarino) [![AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg?width=400&height=400&name=AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/authority) [![ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg?width=318&height=179&name=ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/free-cold-calling-video) ![maximize-productivity-ebook-v3-1-cover (2)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/maximize-productivity-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(2).jpg?width=768&height=994&name=maximize-productivity-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(2).jpg) ### Maximize Productivity Being productive means getting important things done. The big stuff. The stuff that moves you toward accomplishing your biggest, most important goals. [![DOWNLOAD EBOOK](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/faff89b7-a7a5-474e-9a53-68c41c02cd55.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/faff89b7-a7a5-474e-9a53-68c41c02cd55) ## Are You Ready To Solve Your Sales Challenges? ![Anthony-Solve-Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Anthony-Solve-Sales.png?width=290&height=221&name=Anthony-Solve-Sales.png) Hi, I’m Anthony. I help sales teams make the changes needed to create more opportunities & crush their sales targets. What we’re doing right now **is working**, even in this challenging economy. **Would you like some help?** [![Solve for Sales](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035) ### Join my Weekly Newsletter for Sales Tips Join 100,000+ sales professionals in my weekly newsletter and get my *Guide to Becoming a Sales Hustler* eBook for FREE! --- ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org/", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Anthony Iannarino" }, "dateModified" : "2024-09-06T12:18:16 PM", "datePublished" : "2013-02-11 17:49:48", "description" : "Sometimes success requires that you work harder. But the fact that you are working hard doesn’t mean you’re necessarily working. Your work is about achieving certain outcomes, not about being impressively busy. You can work really hard and still not get anything done. 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