Whatever happened to the notion of hard work?

There used to be a time when whatever the calling was, hard work went into it. From studies to work, it didn’t amount to anything unless hard work was put into it. It was a way of life – you did not do it well enough unless what you put in was solid work without superficial trimmings. Today, hard work is not a motto to live by – in this day of instant rewards, constant gratification and a me-me centred world, no one is willing to put in hard work in return for good old fashioned returns.

Hard work is anathema for most youngsters. They are used to instant solutions. Even in this internet age, it still takes hard work to compete in studies. Although there are many unethical devices on line where you can download essays and thesis scripts, it still pays off to put in solid work. As they say, do your homework right and you will be rewarded with results beyond average. The danger in forgoing hard work is clear – you may pass the initial barriers of exams but in the long term, you will neither benefit nor reap a harvest that always follows hard work.

Responsibilities and obligations

In an instant world, there are no responsibilities and obligations. There’s no need to wait on anything. In fact, waiting which under normal circumstances, builds patience, character and maturity, is to be avoided at all costs. From food to career advancement, the young generation wants instant gratification. If and when it does come, it comes at a price. The concept of hard work is behind every success. Whether a global organization or a small entrepreneurial venture, it has taken hard work and a commitment to accomplishment for every success story. Ask any entrepreneur and you will know.

We need to teach our young the value of hard work from childhood. Whatever they choose to do in life, there’s not much hope without giving it your very best. An unwavering commitment to every aspect of it will result in success. Often, children will follow parents instinctively. How do we respond to situations in our lives – do we give whatever we choose to do, 100 percent of our effort or do we think that the minimal effort will do. They learn the ropes from the adults they watch and eventually emulate. If hard work built a business, the entrepreneur owes it to him/herself and his/her children to ensure the dedication that built the business must be displayed by the next generation as well. Too often, the success of the fathers do not get the commitment it needs from the next generation; rather the next generation only becomes interested in instant gratification of the senses.

The pioneer generations of the developed world lived by the concept of hard work. They built a highly successful, wealthy system, organizations and a culture of hard work but things changed when the next generations came along. Instead of hard work, they wanted to live on welfare. Spend on plastic the kind of money that did not come by hard work. And one wonders what the mess is all about – economic downfall has at its centre a penchant for instant self-indulgence through fulfilling wants instead of needs.

Business opportunities

In a consumerist world, we are encouraged to pursue instant solutions. In the olden days, you saved to buy something you cherished – it sometimes took years oh but the delight of waiting patiently to acquire it sometimes added that little icing to your character. But that’s now how we do things today. Today, we can buy almost anything on our wonderful credit cards and acquire a debt which we will pay off eventually. Almost everything can be bought on easy payment terms. All of this is good but trouble comes when we bite off more than we can chew.

It goes without saying that if it isn’t built on hard work, it isn’t going to last. The sooner some of us learn that the better it is. It takes self-discipline to set a goal of efficiency and commitment but the good news is it can be done. And once you set yourself to it, the beauty of it is that it becomes a part of your lifestyle. Nothing can stop you once you learn the value of it.

We need to empower the next generation to dream dreams, set goals and work hard towards achieving those goals. They need to learn by experience that good ideas remain just that – unless you put in solid work to turn those ideas into workable business opportunities that yield results.

Let’s make 2012 a year of excellence in our own personal lives. Let us live by a credo of hard work, integrity and finesse.