WHEN
DOES HARD-WORK BECOME LAZINESS?
“I
am busy because I am vain. I want to appear important.
Significant...I am busy because I am
lazy. I indolently let others
decide what I will do instead of resolutely deciding myself. It was a favorite
theme of C.S. Lewis that only lazy people work hard. By lazily abdicating the
essential work of deciding and directing, establishing values and setting
goals, other people do it for us” – Eugene
Peterson.
Most dictionaries define hard-work as
working tirelessly with energy, commitment and perseverance. The Concise Oxford
English Dictionary (Thumb index edition) in contrast defines laziness as
unwillingness to work or use energy or showing a lack of effort or care. A closer
reading about hard-work and laziness from world of dictionaries suggest that
hardworking and laziness are two parallel rivers. However, C.S Lewis opines
that “only lazy people work hard”. The contextual meaning of C.S Lewis’
statement reveals that being hardworking in nonessential matters(work) is a form
of laziness. I define essential work to encompass deciding, directing,
establishing values, and setting and executing goals in relation to one’s
God-given purpose or assignment. For Campbell Scott, “Working hard is great,
being lazy sometimes is great, but failed potential is the worst.”
Idikoko was employed in 2016 as the
General Manager of Money Bank. The bank has million employees majority of whom
are required to daily visit customers of the bank in their shops and offices to
receive deposits. Official records of Money Bank reveal that Idikoko has,
within the first quarter of 2017, collected more deposits from such customers
of the bank than any other employee. All the other employees have tipped
Idikoko as the one likely to be crowned the best employee of the first quarter.
Surprisingly, however, the Board of Directors of Money Bank in their recent
board meeting terminated the employment of Idikoko for causing the bank to
suffer some administrative lapses.
Idikoko met me last weekend in Accra, Ghana,
at a leadership workshop. Being a lawyer, he sought my legal opinion about the
fairness or otherwise of his employment termination. After further enquiries, I
told him that his termination was fair because he was working hard outside his
job description as a General Manager. Idikoko was thus a lazy General Manager
hence his dismissal. I admonished Idikoko not to be afraid in working hard but
he should be afraid of working hard on things that do no matter. The only
things that matter in this life are things that are central to our God-given
purpose. Are you working hard in what matters not?
Richard
Obeng Mensah, author of Daily Wisdom
Blog:
www.richard-obeng-mensah.blogspot.com
Email:
richardobengmensah@gmail.com
