We think, mistakenly, that success is the result of the amount of time we put in at work, instead of the quality of time we put in. – Arianna Huffington

How many times have you started a new hobby or worked towards a goal only to give up after a few months?

I remember when I first started working out, things didn’t progress quite as quickly as I thought they would. I would go to the gym, lift some weights, and do some cardio. My energy levels were higher and my mood was definitely better. However, my muscles weren’t really getting as defined as I was hoping they would. What’s worse is that I saw other guys at the gym doing the same workouts as me; however, they seemed to be growing in size and better results.

I considered hiring a personal trainer. But I just took a step back for a moment and imagined the types of questions that the trainer would ask me:

• Am I paying attention to the macros in my diet?
• Am I making gains with progressive overload every other week?
• Am I strategically hitting each muscle group with an effective range of reps?

In other words, rather than working harder, could I be working smarter?

Oftentimes in business, we think that the more time we spend at our jobs, looking at a computer screen, or attending meetings that it will produce our desired outcome. However, at some point, you have to ask yourself: what am I actually accomplishing? Are my efforts really producing the results I want, is it time to try something new?

If you’re ever in a situation where you feel like you’re simply spinning your wheels, perhaps it’s time to take a closer look at what you’re doing. Maybe it’s time to be more intentional and strategic about what you’re doing. Learn from others and let their success stories inspire you. Be open to trying something new, and when you find something that works, do it with convection.