Teaching the Value of Hard Work

No one gives you anything in life. Luck does not exist, only effort and hard work.

Our society has created a false dream by suggesting that through inventing a character or a strategy and putting it on display through social media or other means we can be rich and famous in a moment. Regrettably we have lost the value of hard work.

Mahatma Gandhi

We think that earning a living with hard work day by day is stupidity, and we dream of winning the lottery based on the lie, on the trick or in the lack of respect toward ourselves or toward others.

Many want that minute of glory, that frightening minute of glory that makes them get it all in one moment, get material things. We want everything short term because we want everything faster, but what is certain is that the big successes are cultivated with the passing of time.

The grand men and the grand women are those that pass their lives shut up in a laboratory in order to make a discovery that will help humanity, those bakers that get up before the sun to offer us “our bread for every day,” those doctors that decide to cross borders to help others. Those reporters who risk their life to offer the story of what is happening on the other side of the world, those teachers that dedicate their whole life to study and offer their knowledge to others, those mothers that are nurse, psychologist, friend, or sister to their children every day. All of those people get up every day giving thanks for having a job position and for earning a living “with the sweat of their brow.” Those are the grand men and women.

Do not fool yourself, hard work is dignity; trying to do things better every day with a smile, with the desire to keep fighting day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute, by achieving our dreams; being conscious of the mistakes we make and finding alternatives, even though that day we have worked double, that is dignity and effort.

We must not teach our children that they can get things easily, because everything has a price, and learning that everything is achieved with hard work is one of the greatest lessons that we can receive when we are little.

Hard work is like the cultivation of a seed, that with the passing of time we have to water and care for, so that in the right moment it will give us its fruit. Hard work is the friend of motivation and perseverance, not of laziness and disinterest.

How do you educate yourself on hard work?

Hard work is a value that is not instilled from birth, but that fathers and mothers have to teach to their children, as they need training, which consists of creating habits and responsibility, through perseverance.

Learning the value of hard work is essential. It comes along with learning other values such as strength, patience, tolerance, or generosity. It also means learning to dismiss the mistaken idea that everything comes without doing anything.

How can we instill the value of hard work in this complicated society that defends the contrary?

• Do not do everything for your children. Let them take on some responsibilities according to their age. If you begin by teaching them to work hard on small things, they will be able to do so later on, before the great difficulties that life will throw at them.
• Teach them by example. Sometimes, actions are more important than words.
• Help them set realistic goals.
• Suffering is necessary. Do not shelter your children. Learning that suffering and frustration are a part of life will make them more mature emotionally.
• Help them to defeat impatience.
• Dialogue with your child and explain to them the ‘why.’ They will surely understand many things about the value of hard work if you help them with your words.