You have got to know how to pick it!

My grandfather used to say " there is no substitute for hard work" and "you wont plant pumpkins and pick potatoes".  But should the mantra not rather be, to say that there is no substitute for smart work.  I have friends who work considerably less than the norm and yet make an outstanding living because when they work they do so, with such drive and confidence that they seldom seem to fail.  I think hard work in a profession or job is obviously to be applauded and life should give those people the reward for the effort, but unfortunately life is of such nature that smart people, who are able to get hard work out of others, may well have the upper hand.  The difference comes I believe in the second saying and that is reflective in life, in that dedicated work leads to a result which is often beyond what we initially expected.  Planting and picking are 2 action words and imply that once a task is identified and sought, it is the effort of planting, which leads to the effort of picking and reaping.  And the one simply does not exist without the other.  Some people plant more time into a situation, others with more acumen, seem to put less into the process and yet still achieve results. But the true fact is that both, are still planting (taking action).  You may be blessed with the ability to strike through the heart of a problem and with ease, deliver a result from a particular challenge.  Other times it seems to take longer in a quest, but if your are still willing to put in the effort of the planting, then you too should succeed.  It may take you longer to prepare the soil and have all the nutrients ready to develop the ground, before the picking, but no effort will definitely result in you standing over barren soil watering it, but you will have never planted anything.  The only thing that will grow will be the weeds and bitterness as the root of ill repute.  Therefore the best way I would say is to combine the saying and get something like this, "there will be no potatoes if you fail to plant potatoes", planting without purpose will be like "watering the ground until it is fertile, but never reaping anything from it".  Work hard if it is your nature to do so, work with purpose and know what the difference is between pumpkins and potatoes.  If you are striving for the perfect potatoes, check the ingredients of labour, dedication, make sure the package says potatoes, get stuck into nurturing and watering the seeds and when they are ready, be there still with effort to pick the fruits of your labour by being watchful, present, deliberate and have a humble place of storage ready for the rewards you will achieve.