Hard work only pays in academia
Work hard, get rewarded, move up, go places. That’s what college teaches you in a prescribed year-by-year fashion. I was good at that game and breezed through unscathed. The workplace, especially a corporate one, doesn’t work like that and requires learning a whole new game.
Work smart, not hard. I thought I had this down with years of experience spinning wrenches and stocking sodas. However, the tools of a smart worker in an office are much different. Instead of using a hand truck to move soda cases, or positioning my tools closer to my work, I now schmooze individuals I hate with every fabric of my being, jump through hoops with no tangible reward, all while covering my ass every step of the way.
Regearing smart work for the office took time to learn, but I’m getting there. Regardless of the environment, the lesson is still the same. Position your pieces like a well orchestrated game of chess. Don’t grind your nose on the whetstone until it rips your face off.
