When I was a little girl, we didn’t have much money for clothes. I didn’t bother tracking who was wearing Tommy Hilfiger or Guess.
There was one brand I actually wanted to wear.
Nike.
That swoosh! I somehow got my hands on a gray t-shirt with the Nike logo and wore it till it fell off me.
“Just do it,” became the motto for my life.
I found my worth in what I could do and how I could help. I even learned to make things more difficult to prove my ability to get things done.
So when the phrase, “Work smarter, not harder,” came along, it looked like an upgraded bit of advice.
Delete. Delegate. Automate. Optimize. Focus.
I was still doing, but could pat myself on the back for being “smart” like my productivity gurus.
On this day in 2025, I think it’s time we retire the phrase, “Work smarter, not harder.”
Not only has it worn out its welcome (circa 1930 from industrial engineer, Allen F. Morgenstern and Scrooge McDuck) it feeds our burnout, hustle culture.
Let’s torch it. 🔥
Instead, I’m starting a new campaign:
“Work dumber, not harder.”
Why would anyone want to work dumber? Acting like an idiot is just…dumb. And it certainly isn’t good for getting things done.
Or is it?
Working “dumber” – the way I’m talking about it – doesn’t mean making stupid choices or working inefficiently.
It means putting everything down for a moment in the space of “I don’t know” to give your deeper mind a chance to give you fresh, creative thought.
I’m not going to tell you that some form of work won’t be necessary to grow your business. You’ll clearly need to do things.
But it doesn’t have to be smart or hard. What occurs to you might not fit in either of those categories.
It might look more like play instead of work – something that typically isn’t encouraged or considered appropriate for business.
This is a call to set down what you think you know and show up as if you’re clueless, and take a fresh look. What you see may surprise you.
Right now in the IMPACT membership, we’re taking a fresh look at what it means to do business and how you want to go about it.
Whether it’s creating an offer, money or impact, the best path is going to be your path of authenticity and inspiration.
Whatever you choose, be “dumb” about it for a few seconds first. 😉
https://www.theawakenedbusiness.com/impactinvite
Yours in love and play,
Steph
