February 2nd, 2009
WORK HARDER
The literary world is littered with great quotes on the virtues of hard work and/or getting through difficult moments in time.
“Obstacles are things a person sees when he takes his eyes off his goal.” - E. Joseph Cossman
“These are not tough times. They’re tremendous times for tough people.” – Anon
"Tough times never last; tough people do." Robert Schuller
“When the going gets tough, the tough get going,” Billy Ocean. Worst song ever.
I have one I’d like to add to the mix that fits today’s times and all of the stupid, idiotic, lazy whining that is accompanying the challenges we face as a nation and a society today;
“Work Harder.” – Me
We have become what I call a “yeah but,” society. It’s the 21st century’s answer to the old tired cliché of simply having lame excuses; we’ve now upped the ante to combine lame excuses with arguments that bear no relevance whatever at all to the situation at hand; as we debate and discuss the ongoing economic turmoil in America and meet people who “can’t find jobs,” every single one of them answer any sort of meaningful, logical point with the phrase “yeah but.”
McDonald’s is always hiring. “Yeah, but I’m better than that.” Get a second job. “Yeah, but then I’ll have no free time.” You need to cut back on expenses. “Yeah, but how can I find a job if I don’t have a car.” Temporary agencies can place you. “yeah, but I won’t have health benefits for my kids.” Newspapers need to be delivered. “yeah, but I don’t want to get up at 2 in the morning.” Wal-mart needs greeters. “Yeah but I make more money staying on unemployment.”
The “yeah, buts,” never end; thus I’ve decided on a new tactic. The answer to every single solitary complaint and gripe about your lot in life is now summed up in my simple, two word mantra: Work harder.
I’ve been accused of being mean, out of touch, unreasonable, pompous, arrogant, unrealistic, stubborn, thoughtless, callous and everything in between. Maybe, but I’m employed.
Not only that, I’m at the top of my field. And do you know why? I work harder. I’ve never been fired, never needed money from a government agency, never begged, never stole and rarely borrowed. And do you know why? I work harder. I insist on the same level of intensity and commitment from my team and they work harder than everyone else who does what we do. People constantly try to assign various reasons to how our show has been so dominant in the ratings for so long (12 years is a tremendous run at the top in this industry; 5 years is considered impressive); some say it’s our chemistry, others our God given talent. They’re all wrong. We win because we work harder. For years radio people (all of whom have now been fired) have come and gone and made fun of us for waking up at 2:30 A.M, arriving in the building at 4 A.M. and staying up until all hours of the night to be up-to-date on everything from breaking news to American Idol. Others see such efforts on our part and tell us to “relax, take it easy,” and then they stroll in at 5:15 for their 5:30 A.M. air shift and can’t understand why they get their asses kicked in the ratings (by us). That’s why we do those things and so many more; we do it to win. We work harder. It isn’t about “taking it easy,” it’s about winning. If you don’t share the passion to achieve what it takes through hard work, that’s your prerogative, but don’t then whine about it and/or demand you be given a free ride for it.
Those of you who insist on crying to those of us who find a way are now simply required to work harder. No more questions, no more pep talks, just two words; work harder.
I think you’re foolish if you chose to have children that you now can’t afford to financially support, but I am told that’s an unhelpful, unrealistic attitude on my part. Fine; I accept your challenge and admit that you are correct; there’s nothing we can do now about the fact that you have a child or children that you must support in a tough economic environment. Here’s my advice on how to do it: Work harder.
I think you’re a whiny, self entitled lazy slob for telling me that you’ve been on 99 job interviews and every time you’ve been told that you’re overqualified or not “who they’re looking for,” but I am told that’s a mean, out-of-touch attitude on my part. Fine; I accept your challenge and admit that it sucks to wake up every morning without a job, willing to do anything for a buck and constantly be turned away. Here’s my advice on how you overcome: Work harder. Go on interview number 100.
I think blaming the fact that the company you work for went out of business on your lot in life is pathetic. I think you should have saved for such a catastrophe or seen the writing on the wall and found a job beforehand, but I am told that’s a an easier-said-than done, unreasonable expectation on my part and it does nothing to help you now that Circuit City, DHL, Mervyns and the rest are all closed. Fine; I accept your challenge and admit that some people are too caught up in their daily lives to know or notice that the company they work for is about to crumble and that it sucks to be blindsided. Here’s my advice now that your company closed on finding a new job: Work harder.
Jerry Rice, Will Smith, Al Michaels, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Jack Welch, Gordon Ramsay, Bill O’Reilly, Tim Russert, Oprah Winfrey, Jay Leno and even Madonna are all people who either are now or were once at the top of their perspective field for one reason; each of them worked harder than everyone else. In some cases, like Madonna, they weren’t even really that talented to begin with. In other cases, like Jerry Rice, they had the basic level of skills needed but not enough to stand out. In the case of Rice, he was never the fastest guy on the football field, the best catcher of the ball or the toughest guy and he always admitted it. He was, however, the hardest working man in the National Football League for nearly two decades and thus the greatest receiver to ever play the game; not on talent and skill but on hard work. Leno, Ramsay, Michaels and O’Reilly are all basically normal guys with no exceptional gifts who are known the world over for one thing; their uncompromising work ethic and non-stop dedication to winning, no matter how long the hours or how hard the work. Will Smith is my favorite actor but is also far from the best I’ve ever seen; he was the Fresh Prince for God’s sake! He knows it, too;
I've never really viewed myself as particularly talented. I've viewed myself as slightly above average in talent. And where I excel is ridiculous, sickening, work ethic. You know, while the other guy's sleeping? I'm working. While the other guy's eatin’? I'm working. While the other guy's making love, I mean, I'm making love, too. But I'm working really hard at it," Will Smith.
Working harder doesn’t have to be in the pursuit of being the best. We use icons and idols like those mentioned above as motivators and symbols of what can be achieved; perhaps ultimate success is not for you, so be it. It is, however, unarguable that hard work is what is required for survival in America, and if you are falling back behind your vision of what life should be like for you personally, then it is time for you to work harder.
Anyone over the age of 30 knows that these are not truly tough times; they are hard times relative only to just how great we’ve had it in this country since 1981, the last time we truly fell in a deep, deep recession. That’s the good news. The bad news is that so many whining, lazy Americans think this is as bad as it gets. It isn’t and it’s going to get worse; which means the whining will get louder and the excuse making more obnoxious. Regardless of the calls of “how hard it is,” remember that one phrase will remain as a serum to combat all claims: work harder.
“…the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.” – Thomas Paine
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