Work Harder

Work Harder!  That is a statement I find myself repeating daily.  People often wonder what makes one person better at a certain task than others.  There is a truly simple answer, practice. 

Natural ability is a myth.  With the exception of physical limitations, all ability is gained through practice.  No infant is born with the innate ability to walk.  No musician picks up an instrument for the first time and performs a flawless number.  Everything ‘great' is preceded by countless not-so-great attempts. 

The human race is a term that to some is a simple definition of our status as homosapiens.  To me, it is a bit more literal.  I recognize that there are billions of people in this world, all of whom want the same things I do.  What sets certain individuals apart from the pack is their willingness to work harder than the rest.  So for me, it's the race of humans.  Who wants to work harder?  Who wants to spend that extra effort day after day to be the best at what they do.  Someone who doesn't work as hard as I do does not deserve the same things I deserve, just as I do not deserve the same benefits of the people who work harder than I am willing to. 

I hear complaints from people about the state of their lives, every argument of which never focuses on their lack of effort.  It is always the result of some innocuous outside influence.  Bunk.  People who work hard, achieve more.  Good things happen to good people who work hard.  Being good isn't enough.  There are lots of "good" people, if the definition of "good" can be simplified to "not being bad".  Spend a few more hours with your face buried in a book rather than a pint of beer.  Unless, of course, your goal is to be the best drinker on earth.    

Everything that has gone right in my life happened to me when I went the extra mile.  Every real accomplishment didn't come from the 8 to 5 daily grind.  Good things happened during the hundred-hour weeks of work.  Times when 8 to 5 wouldn't have been enough to get the job done, allowing the opportunity to pass right by. 

There have been many times I have explained to people that epiphanies have come to me in my sleep.  Though I was not lying, this is not a result of me having some abnormal super power.  It is a result of me wrapping my mind so deeply around a problem that I am consumed by it even during my few hours of sleep. 

I like to think that everything that has happened to me in my life, I've earned.  This, of course, includes all of the bad things.  For many years my interests were simply in having fun, so my career took a nose-dive.  Then I focused entirely on work which destroyed countless relationships, as well as my physical health. So while balance has become important, I have recognized that every decision comes with consequences; consequences which I hope to never complain about.

People make choices in their lives.  If your choice is to pursue a career or path in your life that will never financially stabilize, you have no right to complain about finances.  You have chosen to sacrifice financial success for your love or interest in what it is you do.  It is not society's responsibility to fill in for your financial woes.  If you choose to sacrifice your personal life for professional glory, then do not cry about your lack of intimacy.  You chose that path.  Just realize that everything requires hard work.  Even if an individual's goal in life is to be the best parent their child could have, then they must work for it. 

This is not to say that I am better or worse than anyone else in this world.  What I am attempting to say is that I take responsibility for what happens in my life.  I will not give up, I will not rest until I am the best I can be at what I do, regardless of what this life throws at me.  The best I can be at anything will require a lifetime of effort.  So I suppose it is a valid assumption to say that I will only achieve this in the moment immediately before my death. 

I truly wish more people would take responsibility for their lives.

Published Tuesday, October 21, 2008 10:26 AM by Brian Rudolph

Comments

# re: Work Harder

I have to challenge you a bit on that one. The premise of your assertion is that everyone has equal footing during the formative years of their lives. However, there are significant differences between the early opportunities afforded to those with means and those without. For an obvious example, I'm sure you won't argue with me that Brookfield has a significantly better educational system than MPS.

There are also decisions that one's parents could make that impact a person's formational development. To put it simply, if you grow up poor, you're going to have more work ahead of you than not. How easy is it to concentrate on school work when your stomach is rumbling through out the day. Let's not mention dealing with kids teasing you because your shoes are so old the soles are flapping and they can see your toes sticking out from your socks.

And of course because you're going to a poorly-funded school, you're learning from books that were outdated before you were born, from a teacher who knows less about proper grammar than your two year-old sister.

I have a number of childhood friends who grew up in the same conditions as I did. They definitely worked as hard as me if not harder. But because my family wanted better for me, my mom and great aunt saved up enough to send me to private school for the last two years of grammar school. My new school was two blocks away from the old one but it might as well have been a thousand miles! Through that school, I was able to get a scholarship for a good high school.

After that, it was all about my own effort. But if it weren't for my mom (and Great Aunt) sacraficing so that I could go to a private school, I doubt I'd be where I am today.

Saturday, October 25, 2008 12:32 AM by Mike Brown

# re: Work Harder

Once again, it's always some outside influence.  We could accept those theories, or we could take responsibility for our own lives.  

I find it difficult in this day in age to accept that knowledge is not at the fingertips of anyone who wants it.

As for schools and teachers, I would have to argue that of what I know, I learned 50% of it in school, 5% of which was from teachers.  

Kids these days have libraries, and the internet.  No excuses.

Monday, October 27, 2008 9:37 AM by Brian Rudolph

# re: Work Harder

Yeah because that's what someone in poverty is thinking about...oooh let's go to the library and learn! More than a quarter of the population doesn't have Internet access. Libraries in many areas are as much of a joke as schools...it's probably hard to imagine the obstacles when you haven't had to face them. But trust me they are there and they aren't surmountable without outside help. Like I said, I know a lot of people who worked harder and whom I consider smarter than I am...but because of the situation, they didn't quite make it in life.

Monday, October 27, 2008 2:31 PM by Mike Brown

# re: Work Harder

I am not saying that all people are in equal situations.  I am saying that your life is your responsibility.  My responsibility is for myself and my family.  

If you truly put in 100 hour weeks at whatever it is you do, and have netted nothing from it, try something else.  

Every decision has it's consequences.  

The reality of life is that the only way you are going to succeed is if you work hard for it(or get really lucky).  If you don't, you have no right to complain.  

If you work really hard, and life still smacks you in the face, work harder.  Any other decision is foolish.  Nothing good will come from laziness.

Monday, October 27, 2008 3:35 PM by Brian Rudolph

# re: Work Harder

Let me clarify and say this:

If a single mother is working hard to supporting multiple children and failing, then society can make up the difference.

The rights and lives of those who are genuinely incapable of providing for themselves are the ones who should benefit from everyone elses hard work.  

However, this isn't a political debate.  This post was to simply say, you deserve what you work for, nothing more, nothing less - regardless of how it works out.

Monday, October 27, 2008 3:44 PM by Brian Rudolph