Hard Work

There is value in hard work. The Bible states it, and so do a lot of others. Malcolm Gladwell, in his book, Outliers, has a chapter titled, "10,000 hours." In this chapter he highlights, very well, that 10,000 hour mark seems to be the line of success. Those who practice their craft to the point of this mark tend to be successful and the best in their business.

Gladwell references the Beatles and Bill Gates, two giants in their respective industries, as prime examples of the idea that hard work pays off. Both exceeded the 10,000 hour mark prior to their enormous successes. And, both attribute their success to hard work and long hours of practice.

Hard work tends to instill the trait of perseverance and diligence, two traits also present in most successful people. This idea of falling into success is wrong. The idea that those who are successful have somehow stolen their way to the top is also wrong. Granted, there are those who may have risen to the top in this manner, but they are the very few and not the many. Those who are successful are successful for many reasons, but one the main reasons is the idea of hard work.

I am starting to see this idea of hard work losing popularity. I am seeing and hearing that if you have to work hard there is something wrong with you or someone else. Nothing comes to us easily, and nothing will. We, as a country, need to instill this idea that hard work has value and is worthy of emulation for many reasons, but none more important than it is what we are called to do. It is what God did in the first six days of creation. It is what God created Adam to do, and it is what He creates us to do. We are to work hard and to do it all for His glory! Blessings!