Are You Putting in the Work?
Kurt Michaelson
Solving HR problems for businesses who are: Frustrated with HR system inefficiencies | Dissatisfied with increasing employee benefits costs | Concerned about costs affecting the budget & organizational growth.
In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk tends only to poverty.
Proverbs 14:23
On 17 November 1991, I began one of the most hardest experiences of my life. Marine Corps Recruit Training at Parris Island, South Carolina.
13 weeks of mental, physical and emotional challenges that I would ever experience, to earn the title United States Marine.
When graduation day arrived, which for me was on 14 February 1992, Valentine's Day of all days, it was definitely moment to acknowledge that I had successfully survived the 13 weeks of strenuous physical training. I had developed a level of discipline that changed me as a person in a number of different ways and I had an enormous sense of pride in whom I had become and having earned something that can never be taken away and that is being called a United States Marine.
I couldn't talk about being a Marine and then not enlist. I had to enlist! I had to sign on the dotted line to show I was serious about earning the title, United States Marine and very few people can relate to something like that, and by no means do I dismiss the brotherhood of those who had served in one of the other branches either.
13 weeks was some hard work to put in to become a Marine and I wouldn't do it again now 28 years later. My body isn't ready for that kind of physical training, but I'm working on it. I don't think I'll get to the level of running 3 miles in 20 minutes like I did when I was 21, but I can steadily discipline myself to reaching that goal over time.
I wanted to use that example of my life to illustrate that it's no different in the business world, except your manager isn't shouting at you to move faster, faster, FASTER!!!!!! to complete a task.
Hopefully you don't have a boss like this Staff Sergeant who is politely asking the recruit to put his personal things in his footlocker.
The business world has it's fair share of challenges, but the work remains the same. It has to get done and the rewards for the accomplishment of that work has varying levels of recognition and certainly some personal satisfaction too.
From the perspective of a sales organization there are incentive awards and destination trips that are available for anyone to earn, but no one gets a ticket to go simply by saying they're going to put up the numbers and then be lazy everyday. Talk is cheap and actions speak volumes and holds more credibility.
Marriage is hard work and a husband and wife have to really work on their communication skills with each other, as one aspect of maintaining and growing in their relationship with each other.
School is hard work and if you want to graduate with honors, or high honors, or go to the college or university of your choice because of your hard work, getting C's in classes will not see you going to your dream school.
Why does it make sense to work hard at anything?
Because it pays you. Because it's profitable and you won't be heading down the road to poverty. You won't someone who is all talk and no action. You'll exemplify that hard work pays off.
If you don't work hard, you go broke, and who wants that? Not me and neither should you.
