We have become a society of spectators. It is easier to watch old reruns of Friends on television than it is to make the effort to be a friend in real life. It’s easier to watch people lose weight on The Biggest Loser than it is to put down the bowl of ice cream, get off your butt, do a little exercise and lose it yourself. It’s certainly easier to watch people paint a room or clean out their closets on television than it is to do any of these things yourself. In fact, whole networks are dedicated to just that kind of programming so you can watch rather than do. It’s even easier to watch a TV nanny correct some other bad parent’s out-of-control children than it is to discipline your own kids.
Most people settle for much less than they have to because they are just too lazy to work for what they really want. They do a half-assed job when they are on the job, and then put little effort into living their dreams when they go home. That’s the dark hole of mediocrity most people have slipped into.
Life, happiness, prosperity, and success all take effort. Good things are never going to come along, grab you by the scruff of the neck and pull you up off the couch to get you on the road to success. You have to do that all by yourself. You have to stop watching the world go by and begin to participate in the action that creates a successful life. Is it work? Of course it is. Is it going to be hard? Yep. In fact, if it feels easy, then you are going in the wrong direction. The good life comes with work, sweat, tears and plenty of disappointment. But the good life is more than worth the effort. So stop watching the world go by and get involved.
Thanks for reading and if you like this blog, be sure to share it!
Larry
Rule one: All spectators off the field!
Hey, I must say that I love your down-to-earth statements in your blog. It’s so true that most people are just too damn lazy to pursue their dreams, and I for one must admit that I was one of those people. I am glad to say that I am changing that every day and becoming more proactive for the things that I desire and I won’t let hard work and disappointment stop me. Enough of me, I love your books. Kick-ass statements to get us to change the negative and move on in life.
But Larry… it’s sooo much easier to watch life go by than it is to just work for what we want 🙂
/sarcasm
Mediocrity comes to those who watch, success comes to those who work SMART… period.
That sucks. Now I actually have to get off my rump and do the work. Dam. Sigh. Alright.
Reminds of one of my favorite sayings, “It’s real easy to do and it’s even easier not to do.”
So, I’m off to get this stuff done. Man I hate the truth some times…..
Thanks loads Larry, for your timely wisdom. I was out of work too long because, “I couldn’t find work in my field.” After I read your book, getting some boot imprints in my butt that took a long time to heal, I got to work.
Believe me, I’m one of those people who takes things the easiest way possible. This comes at a time that I’ve got the choice to stay where I am, which is easy, or to pay attention to the building boom they say is clearly coming here, and get back to what I’m trained to do. That will be hard.
I like to set your words as my Windows wallpaper. I’ll be sharing this one too.
Couldn’t agree more ,these fat arsed slobs who complain and spend all their time eating are costing us all a fortune in health taxes and gridlocks in hospitals etc ,not to mention how damn ugly they look waddling the streets .For those who do make the effort -full marks !!
You hit the nail on the head, Ian. Laziness circulates more than ugly butts… it creates entitle attitudes too. Just work hard and keep your head down. People need to stop acting like victims who are waiting for the best hand out. If Americans could stop comparing themselve to the wealthy, that would help. Even the college age kids think they should step into their 50 year old parents’ lifestyle… uh no… you start from scratch like they did!
I have just returned from Macau, China to my hometown in Melbourne, Australia for a short break.
We have an office in Macau and we have been working hard since Feb 2011 with one particular client to resolve a multitude of problems for them. In the past 2 months I have worked a minimum of 12 hours each day, every day. Its been exhausting but rewarding.
While away I had some home renovations done. Good job by the builder but there is some cleaning up to do.
My plan was to sit on the sofa for a few days and relax and let my brain catchup up. Having read Larry’s blog its now down with the bowl of ice-cream and off into the new kitchen to peel the plastic protective covering off the new cupboards.
Thanks Larry!
Cheers
Alan
Larry,
After losing my job in 2008 I had difficulty finding work but in reality, I wanted out of sales management and needed to retool. At 50 y/o it’s not easy to switch careers and complete an advanced degree. We have made tremendous sacrifices but there is a huge light at the end of the tunnel and because of this experience, I feel like a participant and not a spectator.
Thanks you for providing this forum.
Scott Thompson
Larry, you never disappoint. I love your posts and how honestly they paint the scenerios we need to step into… and now!
Yes Yes Yes… I am a participant…. no spectator here
Thanks for the fresh air. I bought your tape, you’re broke cause you want to be out of curiosity and for the first time in a long time heard something real. You remind me of my dad. He cussed a lot, and embarrassed me when I was young, but he called a spade a spade. Everyone was an SOB. He’d say – He’s a sorry SOB, He’s a fat SOB, He’s a fast SOB, He’s a smart SOB, He’s the hardest working SOB I’ve ever met, etc. He observed people and was usually close to the truth.
If he liked you, you knew it, if he didn’t you knew that too. He hated people who did not try. He was always doing two or three jobs at any time, because he grew up on a farm and although they had land they were poor. He was the eldest of 9 children. He was constantly thinking how to make a dime, or earn more. He was a hard parent, but he was our parent every day, and we never went without what we really needed. If he told you something, it was going to happen, including getting your butt beat. He hated whiners. He seemed so hard, but he loved children, a good dog and a good horse if they earned their keep. No cats or dogs in the house. Everybody worked some kind of a job, if you wanted to earn money, cause you weren’t getting it from him. Subsequently, we all grew up self sufficient, and thankful for jobs. We were never on any assistance. He killed wild game every day when we were young and he supported a family of six. You were supposed to hold up your end of an agreement even if the other person didn’t. You paid your bills. My brothers and sisters, even though we had a good mother, credit him with shaping our lives, even though we did not like him much at the time. I miss him and want you to know, you are what we need in this country today. People feel better and stronger if they are doing something that matters and is real. Everyone feels like somebody if they aren’t pretending. The kids who grow up O.K today are the ones who help their family make it. Keep preaching – we’re listening.
I just had a disapointment, so I googled your advice on disapointment and found this. Thanks, as always you say exactly the right thing when I need to hear it. So I regather and get my sad butt off the couch and back to reaching high again.
Larry,
You never fail to disappoint me. I first discovered you when your show was on.
I loved reading all your books and find myself going back to reread them from time to time.
It’s good having you around to offer such solid advice.
Thanks for all you share.
Sincerely
Katie
Thanks Katie!