Work. That is a concept that has been wildly challenged during this pandemic. For so many people, the concept of work has completely changed this year. Whether you are working from home, working in masks, or not working at all, the concept of work is even more stressful than normal this year.
Even though most people think of work as their job, today we are actually focusing more on work as a verb. The lesson today is about putting in the work. In whatever you do, it is important that you put in the work. This is a phrase that gets used a lot. Putting in the work is right up there with “the hustle,” “the grind,” and all things related to “boss culture.” It’s a little overused and idealistic, but the intent behind these concepts is good. All of the notions remind us that nothing in life comes for free.
If you want a good life you either need to be born into the elusive “1%,” or you need to be prepared to work. This applies to whatever you end up doing, whether you are a lawyer, a salesperson, or a dog groomer. The way to advance your career is to show your colleagues, clients, and bosses that you are a hard worker. Nobody likes a slacker. Very seldomly does a lazy worker get rewarded. Putting in your best effort will help you climb the ladder of whatever industry you find yourself in. Once you are at the top, working hard can help maintain loyal customers and employees.
It’s characteristic that every generation thinks the generation beneath it is lazy. There are differences in the ways each generation works, communicates, etc, and there is also a psychology of comparison that comes into play here. There are major differences in the younger generations that are largely correlated to changes in technology. Being fully indoctrinated in the technological age has done a few things to our youngest generations. The most influential change is the difference in attention span and communication style.
One major harmful difference in our youngest generations is influencer culture. These children and young adults have been raised around the notion that if you just film your life and put it on the Internet, you can be rich and famous. This can create a feeling that it is easy to attain that lifestyle. The reality is that it is not easy to attain that life, and it is not as fulfilling as it is depicted as being. What this does for people who do not achieve that unreachable goal is it causes them to be unhappy in their own jobs. The other thing that can come out of this is a sense of entitlement. We are seeing this more and more with our young people.
When you enter the workforce with feelings of entitlement that are misplaced, you are not putting your best foot forward. Oftentimes, individuals in this situation come in with completely the wrong attitude. Their motivations are misplaced and the more they focus on what they don’t have, the less productive they become. What they really need to do is buckle down, refocus on their goals, and put in the work. This is the only way to get what you want out of life. I’m not saying you should stay in a job that doesn’t make you happy, but you should do whatever you find yourself doing to the best of your ability. This is a tried and true way to advance your career and move towards a more successful future.
- Bria