I work hard. I hear lot of people saying that. This is followed by a list of complaints about how they are not paid well enough or how tired they are or just stronger reiterations like – I work really, really hard.
Hearing that makes me uneasy. It makes me want to say – “I empathize with your problems and I respect your hardworkingness. But it seems like in your situation, your working hard is not serving anyone well. Why do you work hard? What makes you believe you work hard? Do you want to work hard?”
I throw this volley of questions because I understand that people’s motivations are different and often justifiable.
To me, ‘working hard’ just sounds like a huge effort and if you enjoy what you do, you wouldn’t need all that effort at all. The things one enjoys hardly require any effort.
In that sense, working hard and having fun are the same things, aren’t they?
3 comments:
The way I see it, I work hard because of how much I love doing what I do. If it was of no interest to me, I wouldn't give it time, thought or energy. Of course, there are people who put in laborious hours for something they don't believe in, therefore "work" becomes hard. I believe working hard needs ALL the effort, because you if are so passionate about something, you want to explore that avenue to the hilt and go all the way.
@ fuming plume
Our self definitions of concepts may be different. But, I believe it is important to hold those beliefs till they serve you.
I would agree with you till you are having fun as you go.
That's what matters.
:)
The labourer, the plumber, the sweeper, the watchman, the bus conductor, the shoe polish boy if asked: Are you working hard?...would give you a weird look. HECK YEAH is what that weird look would say. Do they love their jobs and look forward to the next morning to wake up at 6 or earlier and begin another day of 'HARD WORK'. Probably not.
And if you asked those questions to them:
Why do you work hard?
They would probably say, well because we don't have much of another option. We are destined to do this. Besides, if we didn't do this, who would. And it is true. No wants to willingly become the sweeper.
What makes you believe you work hard?
They are just going to give you another weird stare. They don't need to answer that one.
Do you want to work hard?
Do they have an option?
That brings to us to the conclusion. Working hard and having fun, the same?
Well it depends on who you are. If you were lucky to be born in a family which can afford a good education which automatically entitles you to a fairly comfortable lifestyle your definitions of working hard for something you 'LIKE' because you are in a position to do what you want to and fun could cross paths. If the karma from past last life is bad, you get born on the street and work hard every second you breathe for anything that gets you two square meals a day.
I might have gone on a completely different tangent in terms of what you were hoping to elicit from fellow readers. But ah well, its a thought experiment aint it? :)
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