No Pleasure, No Gain?

[Unhumble]

Is the notion of "hard work" fading away with time? (At least, in most developed countries?)

 

Usually we expected to be rewarded for hard work, and, as far as I recall, there are many people who decide to enter a field of career and education that they don't really like, just for the sake of getting the reward, to survive and earn for a living.

Sometimes, these people started to like what they were doing, and not just because of the reward expectations. However, quite often people selected their lifestyle, university, better job, status, etc. mainly being motivated by the expected reward.

 

When I was in high school, preparing for final examinations and searching for universities, I noticed that we're not experiencing anymore what our parents did: there's a lot of focus not only on the individual's potential, but on what the individual really likes.

The educational institutions themselves do a lot trying to encourage students to choose what they like most.

And see how times are changing: there are people who earn more than their hard-working parents by playing video-games!

 

In my life, I experienced something very similar when I was in high school, among my old classmates. I used to be an average student throughout most of my school career. All other students were anxious at exams, competing to get the best marks, buying student guides on the internet and so many other things; they were stressed and that used to turn me off from studying so much.

Nevertheless, some experiences outside school made me really interested - I mean interested as in watching a basketball game and avidly reading everything about my favorite teams - in the subjects of my final exams.

In my final year, I suddenly had a GPA that was second only to the girl who always used to be the top of our class. All my friends thought that I had either received some superpowers or that I had worked really, really, really, really hard.

 

My score helped me find a good university, put me into contact with important people in the field I like to study, and so many other... rewards.

And I hadn't "worked" for them. At least, not in the old meaning of "work".

 

This was solely my experience, and I've seen so many other examples in both the worlds of education and career nowadays.

 

Could this mean that we're moving towards a world in which what we like is rewarded more than what we work "hard" for?

Could this be the "proof" that real achievement can only be gained through pleasure?

 

And (for me) the most important question:

Is this new way "correct" towards those who really work hard at things they don't like, but are forced to do so if they want to survive?

[Scootchy]

Hey Unhumble

 

I am also studying stuff I do not want to study. The way to look at it is that few people really enjoy their job. These people find ways of making work a more pleasurable experience. These people are concentrating more on the evening at hand and how much fun they are going to have after their crappy shift at their crappy job.

 

Students change their careers dramatically all the time. People have to find their passion in life. They have to experience all that life has to offer and take full fiscal advantage when the opportunity presents itself.

 

Get out there and learn what you want, and have a good time when you are not working. The people who work hard for a living better enjoy what they are doing.

 

The feeling you get from a job well done or a noteworthy accomplishment is the ultimate reward. Thus, if you enjoy your job, that joy is your reward and the salary is a bonus. If you hate your job, the only reward is how you spend your time when you are not at work. Your salary is still a bonus. But these people have to find a new way of looking at their job or find a better one.

 

Think about why you go to find a job. Money! Thats the main part of your life that we are talking about. You better enjoy it! If life hands you lemons, make lemonade.