Hard Work Doesn't Pay Off

a reply to: Proto88

Just saw your post, it comes down to a whole bunch of factors, and ambition/motivation does play a key role, but even then that can only get you so far, an it can back fire too. I remember busting my butt at an old job, an the only benefit I got was to be able to do whatever I wanted, so long as the job got done at the end of the day. To summarize this, 6-7 hours of doing nothing, then 1-2 hours of Chaos. Other times, at other poe, I'd be told to slow down, cause everyone else would have to work harder, with not much incentive to back it up, so yea lol. Plus that how alot of accidents happen with more youthful, an less experienced. Heck one job, I was morning then midnight to mornings, hoping to get in full time, but they picked the other dude who started 2 weeks before getting laid off. All the while, they would constantly allow a certain dickwad, to miss days cause he in jail, an his dad busted ass there for decades(great guy tho btw ), an I got laid off. Worked out though in a way, they ran out of business, or got bought cause they were going out of business. Working smarter has paid off for me alot more, mentally an physically then working harder, where as I often only to meet a dead end road for working hard, an where I end up asking, "what did I do wrong." The current job i have right now, I can actually work smarter an harder, cause I know cause my current employer can back up it for me to do so.

I enjoyed reading your response. Especially your statement and personal experience on
the benefits of working smarter vs working harder. One of the things I've learned
in my own personal journey, is that even in the hard times, as long as we keep
going forward, we'll eventually reach our destination. I used this simple graphic
to illustrate my point.

If point B is the destination, one will need to transverse a steep valley
from point A to arrive at point B. Sometimes life presents us with
a steep valley, but as long as we stay committed and keep going
forward, we will reach our destination/ambition/goal.

A decent education, making friends with well connected people, not running your mouth on social media, and not being afraid to get your hands dirty can reap great rewards down the line when it counts.

It really is true...."it's not what you know, but who you know.