The Myth of Lazy

Why “lazy” isn’t real and what’s really going on when people stop trying.

I believe no one is truly lazy.

And what we call “lazy” is just a label society has slapped on someone whose actions don’t match what we think they should be doing.

I also believe energy levels explains things better.

People act according to the energy they have, and where they subconsciously decide to save or spend it. And if they “don’t do” something you want them to, it’s not from a place of laziness.

It’s from conserving energy for something else.

And we need to reconsider calling people lazy because labels like that trap people.

This guy isn’t lazy. He’s stuck.

When someone believes they’re lazy, it becomes a self-fulfilling excuse that keeps them stuck. Without that label, they’d likely feel more hope and agency to make changes. And I know this because I spent years beating myself up thinking I was lazy, when really I was just drained of energy or stuck in old routines. And beating myself up made things worse.

But “Lazy” can also be useful.

People labelled as “lazy” often find faster, simpler, and more energy-efficient ways to get things done precisely because they don’t have the energy to brute-force it or do it the old way.

And at the end of the day, everyone is trying their best.

My old boss at KPMG, KZ (who’s a doctor of clinical psychology) once said, “everyone wants to do well at work and in life. But to do that, they need the skills and support to try, fail, and learn.” I’d add they also need the energy to actually do that. If they fall short, it’s not because they want to fail. And even in cases where it looks like someone isn’t trying, it’s often because they’ve lost belief that they can do better, usually after being labelled “lazy” so many times that they’ve internalised it.

Which all can be prevented if we fuck that label off.

So next time you catch yourself thinking someone (or even yourself) is being lazy, pause and ask: could this really be about energy, support, or belief instead? Because shifting that lens can change how you treat others, how you view yourself, and ultimately how much belief and energy you have for what matters most.

Ps: Huge thanks to

Brent Ford

for the prompt!