There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.
– Beverly Sills
Why are tips called hacks?
The idea of hacks comes from our computer culture where a true hack is gaining unauthorized access. Yikes!
But now, the word hack has morphed into doing stuff that makes things work better. A quick fix is another way to think about it.
Life and business hacks are all about eliminating frustrations, of which there can be many, and doing it in a simple, clever way.
Hacks are everywhere. Here are some of my favourites:
By removing the stem of an avocado and looking at the colour of what’s underneath, you can tell if your avocado is ripe enough to eat, or sadly over ripe.
Placing a paper clip at the end of a roll of duck tape shows you the end without any fuss when you need to use it
Eating Cheetos or Cheezies with chop sticks so you don’t get ridiculously orange fingers.
Okay, I would not use that last one but I love just picturing it!!!
There are hundreds of blog posts, YouTube videos and social posts promoting all kinds of hacks. Productivity hacks are very popular.
And with a culture that already focuses on instant gratification, you can see why hacks would be very appealing. It gives us an idea that we can get something, achieve a goal, and have success in quick bite-sized tricks.
And may I say, it just ain’t so!!!
If I’ve learned anything over these last many years of my life, it’s that success is achieved by embracing the grind of it all, not the application of a hack.
I know, grind has many connotations. Mostly, sexual. That’s not the kind of grind I am talking about here.
The grind I’m talking about here is when it’s applied to work, to our job and possibly in your case as a coach and wellness professional, your business.
Grind in this case means, work, labor, travail, toil, drudgery.
Fundamentally, grind means activity involving effort or exertion
That’s right. Grind means effort. The very opposite of hacks which is all about reducing effort for the same or better results.
But you can see by its very definition that grind is seen as very negative.
I’ve also seen it contrasted with manifesting. Manifesting has become a very popular term after the amazing success of The Secret movie and book.
It’s almost like manifesting is the ultimate hack.
It is easy and simple to manifest, at least the way it has been commercialized. Basically, when you think and focus consistently on what you want, you will manifest it.
However, there is a lot more to manifesting than that. In its spiritual sense, manifesting is a powerful energy force.
But it can never take away the need for us to put in effort to achieve our goals.
For example, I can get super focused on attracting my perfect ideal client who will need and benefit from my services, but it will take effort for me to show up on social media so they can find me, or in the old days show up at a networking meeting. It takes effort to work on my visualization of that goal. It takes effort to be skilled and ready for when the perfect client arrives.
You see, effort is involved in this material world.
However, the grind of putting in the effort does not have to feel bad. It’s time to erase those negative feelings associated with the idea of something being a grind.
Work, labor, travail, toil, and drudgery… Be Gone!
Let’s learn to enjoy the grind. And here’s how.
1) Make sure you are doing something you want to be doing.
My realization? I never put the effort into being a singer and songwriter. It was not my dharma. In yoga, dharma is your purpose in life. But as soon as I got to university in my thirties, I put in the hours, I did the extra work. I put in a lot of effort, and loved every minute of it. At the end of a long night writing a paper, I felt elated. Sure it was a grind, but I wouldn’t have wanted to be doing anything else. And it paid off.
2) Learn to stay in the moment.
Don’t look at the clock, or your phone or the myriad of distractions. Being present while you are grinding away at something removes the feeling of toil and stress. This is where mindfulness comes in. Or you could call it “yoga off the mat” also. Being connected to your breath, present in your body, and focused on the activity, takes the grind out of the grind.
3) Be open to the manifestation of miracles.
I use the word miracles as it’s used in A Course in Miracles. There are indeed moments and situations that are born from grace and love. In this case, as you are building your business and spending the time to post on social media, write blogs, email clients… remember to be open to love. Learn to let go of judgement, learn to release fear and open your heart. Listen to your inner voice and wisdom.
For example, I really didn’t know what I was going to write about in this blog today. I had the idea of comparing hacks vs grind. But I didn’t know much more. So I got very intentional before I started and took some deep slow breaths and asked within, “What would be valuable for my audience to hear today? And I kept asking that question while I did some research and started to write.
You can spend many hours working at the marketing of your business and feel guided and inspired. The grind just does not have to feel like a grind.
What CrossFit taught me about the grind!
By the way, I got the idea for this blog during one of my CrossFit classes a while back. Now I’m no spring chicken, in fact, I am the oldest person there by plenty. At this particular workout, the coach said, “Yes, get ready. It’s a grinder today.”
I didn’t know what she meant. Well apparently there are times in every CrossFit experience when you come across a WOD (workout of the day) that is a true grinder.
These are the workouts that you have to battle through mentally as well as physically.
They are the ones you have to negotiate with yourself to even finish.
And so I did. And then it was done and I felt amazing. Why? Because I totally love CrossFit; it’s surely part of my dharma. I stayed in the moment. If I had looked up at the clock, that could have been the end of my resolve. And I was open to miracles, namely, that I could actually do this work out!!!!
By connecting those three secrets, I kind of turned the grind into a hack.
Bonus Tip: I adjusted some of the workout to fit me better. And you can do that too when you are faced with tasks that need you to put your head down and grind through. If it helps you to get going and stay committed, you can ask yourself, “What would make this a little easier?” And then do that. Better to start somewhere and see where it goes. (PS. That’s not me in the above picture…at least not yet 🤪)
Being able to embrace the grind as a wonderful experience is a huge part of the personal growth entrepreneurs need when growing a business.
You will be faced with the need to grind away at something almost every day. But by reminding yourself of your purpose, staying present, and opening yourself to miracles, you can accomplish anything. I really mean it. And I totally believe it. I see it everyday in myself and my clients.
Okay?
So go enjoy the grind today. And come visit me on Instagram @lisagarbercoaching and let me know how it went. “See you on the other side….(That’s another CrossFit saying!)” Thanks for reading, 
Lisa
