Of Hard Work and Such Things

The other day, a friend of mine was telling us about a study done. They took a class of kids and split them. All the kids took the same test, and they were all told they had done well, but one half was told they were done well because they were smart and the other half was told they had done well because they had worked hard. Then they gave the kids a second test. This time they told them they had all done poorly. Then they tested again. The result was that the first half (told they were smart) pretty much gave up and did poorly, figuring they weren't smart enough, while the second half (told they were hard workers) worked hard and did well.

The moral of this story is that you have to work hard in life. No matter what.

Everybody seems to want change in their lives, but the ones who see that change are the ones who are willing to do the work for it. Those who sit around and complain about all that's not right are in direct opposition to those who recognize what isn't right and start making a dent in changing it.

No - change may not happen overnight (or it may), but one stone piled on top of the other will eventually create a mountain, and vice versa. If you want to learn something, it takes time. You can't just pick up an instrument and immediately know how to play it expertly, but if you practice a little everyday, eventually you will.

We live in a society that is seriously addicted to immediate gratification, but this has its dangers. Good things take time, masterpieces and greatness are a process of hard work. Becoming the best person we can be in life takes hard work.

We can't rely on things like being smart, beautiful, rich or crafty to achieve our own greatness, there is simply no way around the fact that achieving that greatness requires that we work hard on ourselves, always being willing to assess what works and what doesn't and changing it.

The difference is stunning. Only look at the difference between fast food packaged in throw away containers and a meal that is cooked with love and patience - the world! Just look at the difference! We can scramble for fast money or we can work towards lasting wealth! We can put on pretty clothes or we can work on the person underneath!

The moral of this story is that you have to work hard in life. No matter what.


Blessings.
- Darshan




© 2010 Darshan F Jessop