Lazy Way to Success… Bah! This Guy is an Idiot
Saturday, September 17th, 2005
I like personal development. I like to find new insights and learn. I started subscribing to The Lazy Way to Success blog for just this reason. The author’s philosophy is that it is not hard work that leads to success it’s working smart. I agree with this, but like anything else, this notion can be taken too far, and this guy has gone way over the edge.
In one post, he opines that Andy Roddick was defeated in the first round of the U.S. Open because hard work failed. He says Roddick was more successful last year because he didn’t work hard. He even bastardizes a quote from Andy Roddick: “Last year I didn’t work hard. I didn’t even step up. I wasn’t training hardly and somehow sneaking out big points.”
He then starts analyzing various comments from successful athletes who were asked how they were successful and replied that they had “no idea.” He then attributes the concept of “no idea” to a “play ethic” vs. a “work ethic.” This guy doesn’t understand athletics in the least. Why do these great athletes have “no idea?” Because they’ve done it thousands, if not millions of times. Every athlete knows you can’t perform if you’re thinking about what you have to do.
I posted a comment where I expressed that Jordan and Rice ran hills, lifted weights, etc. to become as great as they were. His response, “Athletes are driven to get stronger and faster so they can derive even greater joy from their ‘play.’” Yeah, but that doesn’t entail hard work? Even if you love something or know something will make you better at what you love doesn’t make it doing it “play.” I love this little bit of condescension, “Athletes call it hard work because they feel the need to justify their success by calling it work.” Yeah, guys who are running hills and lifting weights while other guys are hanging out with buddies call what they are doing work to justify their success. What crap. What kind of arrogant ass presumes that these guys are justifying anything?
His final flurry is:
I fully realize that I am introducing a new paradigm here and that there will be squawks from those indoctrinated by society’s deluded infatuation with the work ethic…
This is the classic debating style of those arguing without substance. I don’t understand his “new paradigm” and I’m deluded by society. His argument centers around successful athletes having “no idea” and not thinking. He seems to propose that having “no idea” and not thinking is how you become successful. The fact is that you can’t get to “no idea” and not thinking without practice and preparation. If you don’t want to call it “hard work”, fine. But don’t give me some BS about a new paradigm.
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