By: D. A. Slinkard
We all understand that our society has been different since COVID hit just over four years ago. The workforce has been impacted as seemingly overnight companies were left scrambling to try to fill positions because no one wanted to work. I know people who received more money sitting at home drawing a check from the government than they had when they were going to work at their retail job. It seems the one thing that is missing in so many people today is a strong work ethic. A strong work ethic is vital for a person to have success in their life including professional, academic, and personal pursuits they want to go after.
For myself, my work ethic is fueled by the achievement of goals. I love writing down a goal and then exceeding my own expectations. It has been found that individuals who have a strong work ethic are more likely to set and achieve their goals because they understand the importance of hard work, persistence, and the dedication required in reaching their goal. I still believe too many people are going about life without a clue as to what they want to achieve nor even an understanding of how they are going to achieve it. Any success these kinds of people have is what I call, “accidental success” — being that they just got lucky. You must live your life daily and live it on purpose to achieve results.
A person who has a strong work ethic is also someone who you can describe as reliable. I was recently shopping at a local discount store and one of the employees was aggravated because people were not showing up for their scheduled shifts. These people would be considered unreliable workers, and I have never met a person with a strong work ethic who is unreliable. It seems being reliable and having a strong work ethic go hand-in-hand because these people also seem to have the ability to achieve personal fulfillment. Reliable people show up when they are supposed to, meet deadlines, and fulfill their commitments. This leads to a personal sense of satisfaction, especially in knowing you have given your best efforts to accomplish the task.
It is important to build a strong work ethic simply because these people are the ones who can have a positive influence on other workers. These individuals often serve as role models for others and their dedication, discipline, and determination inspire those around them to strive for excellence. To be honest, that word excellence is something missing in so many companies and organizations today because the workforce has gotten lazy. People are looking for the easy way out or what corners to cut to allow for the path of least resistance. I am all for making life easier, but we need not learn bad habits that lead to bad employees.
Ultimately, I believe when we have a strong work ethic, we are able to have long-term success in our life and fulfillment in our professional and personal endeavors we set out to achieve. This provides a foundation built upon growth, achievement, and satisfaction over the course of our lifetime. We must understand this is not easy, and not everyone will understand the mode of thinking in trying to be the best that we can be. We have one chance at life, and we need to make sure we are doing the best we can to be the best version of who we are.
I cannot tell you the number of times I have had employers tell me they would love to clone my attitude, my desire for success, and my energy level. Personally, I do not think it is as hard as what we think it is to have a great attitude. I do not believe it is very hard to achieve success or have high energy levels, but quite often we want to give up too early the moment something gets hard. Do I always have the best attitude? Not 100 percent of the time – but I do not think you will find someone else who is as positive as I am. I have learned we must overcome the obstacles that pop up in our lives. The very first way we achieve success is by the way we approach each day, and it comes down to the work ethic we display daily. To achieve this, focus on having the highest level of work ethic of anyone around you and watch your life change.
By: D. A. Slinkard
D.A. Slinkard would love your feedback. You can contact him at da.slinkard@gmail.com
May 3, 2024
