The Importance of Hard Work

My parents came to Canada with $600 dollars in their pocket. A foreign language, a different environment, and a new political system. They were young, fresh out of college, and looking for a job. Twenty-seven years later, they have two children, a mechanical engineer and a teenager in a high school. When people find out that I go to a private school, they immediately picture a rich and spoiled girl who was born into generations worth of old money and trust funds. What they don’t know is that people don’t magically end up where they want to be. The pathway to success is never linear, but the experiences you learn on the way impacts your destination greatly. 

Everyone’s journey is different in their own unique way. One thing that I learned from my parent’s journey was the importance of hard work. As they tried their best to integrate and thrive in a different society, there was not a moment when they stopped working hard. Whether it was my dad soaking up measly hours of sleep for his night shift at the gas station or my mom driving while throwing up and holding a 7-month-old me in the car on her way to work. The point is, we all start our journey in different places, but it’s the effort that we put in while on the way there that will impact where we end up. My parents worked 15-hour shifts every day not to just take care of my brother and I, but also our extended family as well.

Perseverance, hard work, and grit has helped them become the happy and carefree couple they are today.

We all begin our journey at different places in time. Some may have more opportunities and resources than others. However, we can’t let that discourage us from working to our full potential. For example, you may be a basketball player but still be the shortest. Although taller heights may provide certain advantages, people who are shorter can also move quicker and with more agility. This is to say that while some people may have a greater advantage than others, we cannot let that stop us from discounting our own advantages or skill sets. Many people are discouraged from their potential because of biases and discrimination. 

Although sometimes one may feel overwhelmed by classes, school, sports, and other hobbies, it is important to recognize that even though our hard work doesn’t seem to be paying off in the moment, it will impact us in some way in the future. We just don’t know about it yet. As my coach always says, “how you do one thing is how you do everything.” Our work ethic and mindset matters. Creating good habits of perseverance and a growth mindset will change us for the better, and my parents are living proof of that, as well as many other successful people who started in rough places like J.K Rowling, Oprah Winfrey, and Nicki Minaj (also all women!). 

Hard work is not something that you can just do for one day. It is a mindset and a lifestyle where you continue to persevere even when something is hard.

Consistency plays a crucial role when working hard because you don’t just try your best for one day. One of the hardest things to do when working hard is persevering and doing it consistently. This is because everyone can wake up and decide to go to the gym for a hard core work out session. However, not everyone can wake up every day and bring themselves to go to the gym even though they’re feeling sad, angry, or tired. This doesn’t mean that we are expected to do our best every single day. Sometimes we have to recognize when we need to take a break and when we are overworking ourselves. Finding that proportional balance in life where you are able to work hard while taking care of yourself may be difficult, but it is achievable. The best way to stay consistent is to remind yourself of the purpose behind your hard work. Whether you’re doing it for your family or for your passion and goals, the reminder of what you’re working for gives you motivation to continue to do well. Incorporating this mindset at a young age can benefit you for the future. It is your decision whether you want to live five years of pleasure for 50 years of pain, or five years of pain for 50 years of pleasure. Although some people may have more setbacks than others, at the end of the day, the best we can do is try our hardest. To never give up or let go of our dreams. What may seem unachievable from where you are today will be old news later in your life. Hard work isn’t just an action. It’s a lifestyle, a mindset, and a goal. One that is easily achievable if we believe in ourselves and act on it.