Why you will fail even if you are working hard

This is an old school topic for everyone who is at least want to improve themselves. Have you ever set the goal in the New Years Eve and decide that you are going to the gym every single day in the rest of the year. However, if you are an academical person, especially if you are graduated from colleges with higher degree, you spend probably the first month researching about the best method of working out, best diet plan, and probably the best gym next to your home. You tried to read thousands of books and watch online program, even more than that probably you could hire an professional coach online and you are able to talk with your closest friends about the the carbohydrate, protein and fat proportion in the daily diet. But after working so hard after one month or two. What is going to happen? I am sorry to tell you, nothing.

[Photo Credit: www.someecards.com ]

This is such a interesting phenomena happening nowadays especially in the younger generation who has more information explosion on the Internet. It is even more serous problem for highly educated students like college students. They are the population believe that academic knowledge could change who you really are. But the fact is this: this is an higher level of procrastination, called "Proactive procrastination". The side effect of the drug is that you are indulged in the fantasy that you are really making progress and doing something but in reality you are not. You immerse in the dream and the hustle that you are taking without realizing that the so-called hard work you are doing is on the wrong direction at all. In the article below, I am going to explain to you step by step guideline to cure the disease and reach your goal.

[Photo credit: www.jmu.edu ]

Entitlement and never wait for the perfect situation 

First of all, fell your self being entitled and never ever want to be perfect. It is literally impossible to be perfect in the real world situation, which existed in the academic institution that you could earn perfect score and A+ in the Math class. There does not exist a boundary for the progress in real world; please look up in the sky and see what is going on outsides instead see the light above your head in the lecture hall. Even if you are the most knowledgeable people in the world you could always find out one person smarter than you. So in this case, you are impossible to win the game of ranking so why not just feel entitled in the situation that you are in right now! This is crucial and this is the limiting belief that you need to change before taking any action. You are already enough because you are here and want to change .The fact that you want to improve is already set you apart from 99% of the people so how about just believe who you are right now. YOU ARE ENOUGH TO BE WHOEVER YOU WANT TO BE!

[Photo Credit: www.dowdydesign.com]

Reverse engineering the goal 

In order to avoid the trap of proactive procrastination, you have to reverse engineering the goal you want to reach. So many people do the exact opposite when they want to reach something, but the Antifragile theory created by Nassim Taleb proves that you could only reach the order through the disorder, not vice versa. For instance, most people when to the college in order to fulfill their dream of becoming an marketing person in the future. However, it is almost impossible for that student to reach mastery even if he got A+ in the school because that is what I called "situational knowledge" that could only be applied in the test paper instead of the real market. So the most successful and proven way to reach success is by reverse engineering the goal and find out the mentor who already experience the all the obstacles beforehand. Moreover, you have to be 100% trust and believe that mentor, because his or her non-theoretical saying may not sound impressive, but is the real craft that you need to learn. 

[Photo Credit: www.flatironschurch.com]

Taking massive action and trial and error

 Now is the time to take massive action. Remember, massive and massive and massive action! This is the decision point for most people that whether you want to go better or go bitter. The reasoning behind this step is relatively easy and everybody deep inside their heart know what they want to achieve and know that they are not doing enough. Here is the little trick that we could twist in order to achieve that: link massive pleasure to the future of reaching your goal and link massive pain to not reaching that. Time is the most valuable asset in this world and only if you raise the leverage of the bright future then you could do whatever it takes to reach that. Don't be afraid of the necessary failure on the way; even more than that, expect the failure to push you to another level. Whenever you are confused about a specific sticky point, go back to ask your mentor the best solution! This is a never end process back and forth but eventually fantastic thing will happen. 

[Photo credit: www.volkerballueder.com]

--

Short bio

Bob Xu is the founder of Shift Academy, aiming to share the inspiration of the most successful people around the world and help college students to reach their goal. Bob Xu is also a sophomore student in University of California, Berkeley, majoring in Molecular Environmental Biology, passionate about future trend of technology, education revolution and entrepreneurship. #StudentVoices