Sadhguru answers a question about hard work and looks at how unfortunately, society seems to think hard work will bring results. It is knowing what to do at the appropriate time that matters.

Questioner: Pranam Sadhguru. I have a question like a man craves for many things in life but why is it that…

Sadhguru: Women also do. (Laughter)

Questioner: Yeah, I mean…

Sadhguru: Okay.

Questioner: So why is that most of his or her desires remain unfulfilled, even if he works hard for attaining the same most of the times.

Sadhguru: (Laughs) Just working hard doesn’t do things in the world. This is the biggest problem. Right from your childhood your parents taught you if you study how must you… how should you study? Study hard. If you work, how should you work? Work hard. You do everything hard. (Laughter) If you do things hard (Laughs) things won't happen. It will become a donkey’s life. Just doing everything hard. Nobody told you, you must study in joy; nobody told you, you must work in love. They told you, you must do it hard. They made their lives very difficult for themselves; now they were ens… they are ensuring that your life becomes difficult too. (Laughter) Why do you work hard? For what are you working hard? If it’s hard give it up. If you can do it joyfully you do it, otherwise don’t do it, isn't it? Isn’t it so? If you are going to make yourself miserable in the process of working what use is your work to yourself or to anybody around you? You just sit at the temple gates and beg and eat, it's better. Somebody will throw you one rupee, two rupee, you eat out of it, at least that you do joyfully. Sit there happily, eat what people throw into your bowl. If you are going to make it so hard for yourself I am sure you are making it very hard for everybody around you, isn't it? If you’re going to spread misery in the world it's better you don’t do anything. If you’re going to spread joy in the world go and do as much as you can. Now you work hard; just because you work hard things need not happen and they do not happen.

One day it happened. Can I tell you a joke? Hmm? Shankaran Pillai’s old Ambassador wouldn’t start. Does anybody still own Ambassador? (Laughter) Hmm, no? All of you evolved out of it. (Laughs) His old Ambassador wouldn’t start. So he went home; he had a kitten at home. He brought the kitten, harnessed it to the ambassador and said, “Go, let's go, let's go.” People looked at this and said, “Are you crazy? Can this little kitten pull the Ambassador car? Generally it takes God to move this car. (Laughter) What are you doing?” Shankaran Pillai said, “Don’t you fool yourself, I have a horsewhip.” (Laughter) You believe, you believe you can do everything hard and it will work; it will not work just because you do it hard. You must do the right thing only then it works, isn't it? If you do not do the right thing it does not work. People who are successful are successful not because necessarily they work hard. They just know what's the right thing to do with their kind of job. That’s why they are successful.

Another day it so happened. Are you okay for one more thing, are you all right? You are so serious. Now what's your name, the girl? Yes, what's your name? Heena, okay? Another day Shankaran Pillai fell into the septic tank. (Laughter) Tch… I want you to imagine, (Laughter) right up till here (Gestures) in filth. Please imagine and see. (Laughter) He tried to get out desperately, he couldn’t. Then after sometime he started screaming, “Fire, fire, fire!” Neighbors heard the fire screams, called the fire brigade. The firemen came and looked everywhere, no fire. Then they found him in the septic tank, pulled him out and then they asked why were you screaming fire?’ Then Shankaran Pillai retorted, “If I said ‘Shit, shit,’ would you come?” (Laughter) You must do the right thing otherwise it doesn’t work. So just working hard will not do, you must do the right thing otherwise it doesn’t work.