Since the time we played in sandboxes as children, we have been taught that hard work is the key to success. Most of us agree with this statement, but there is a missing piece to the “hard work = success” equation. We know there are millions of people who have worked hard every day of their lives, but still struggled and never achieved the success they sought. What is missing for such people is a clear and compelling vision of what they are pursuing. Without a worthwhile pursuit or a clear outcome you are working toward, your time and effort will never be enough.

The truth is that most of us fail to come up with a worthwhile pursuit that will drive us to get off of the couch. Your objective should not be arbitrarily focused on being rich, successful, famous, or the best in your profession—success cannot be “wished” into existence. You must be very clear with yourself about what will make you get up early, skip meals, and sacrifice leisure and comfort. A worthwhile pursuit will drive you forward.