In The Moment

From the day we are old enough to understand what it means to work hard, we are encouraged to do so. For the majority of us, the value of giving whatever task it is we are working on 100% is instilled in us from the very beginning. Working hard is the driving force behind becoming successful- both as a person and as a professional. Working hard makes us responsible. It makes us strong. It makes us respectable. It is a source of pride and achievement, it is central to the validity of our character, and it is not to be taken lightly.

Life can be monotonous, and not just in the workplace. It’s easy to let yourself fall into an apathetic state of mind and suddenly find yourself “going through the motions”. But what’s easy to do is almost never rewarding; it’s the challenges we overcome that offer us the largest amount of satisfaction. So make the effort. Stay in the game. We owe it to ourselves to be present for our own lives!

When looking at the larger picture, each of us has very little time in this world. For the mere instant that our lives account for, we have only one chance to make a lasting and meaningful contribution. Maybe not all of us are destined to be “great”, at least not quite great enough to be included in history books. And it’s possible that many of us won’t end up changing the world in any major way. But that’s ok. Living each day with principles and conviction allows us not only to garner the respect and admiration of those around us, but also gives us the ability to look in the mirror and like what we see. And anyone who has had the privilege of experiencing that feeling will agree: it’s worth the effort.