If you work hard, are you smart?

[yasockie]

Basically I've seen quite a few 'success' stories, interviews with people of age 60 and above, who are considered successful, at least financially speaking, and (unless they inherited the wealth) they all generally tend to say "I've worked hard, for 16 hours a day, for 25 years for this".
To me that doesn't sound like a successful life - if they have worked so much, no wonder they earned quite a bit and working so much, they didn't even have the time to spend it...

To me spending the healthiest years of your life doing that is not intelligent, nor smart. I generally understand the need to work a little, but it is beyond me, why would we need to work *more* than hunter/gatherers of the past millenia.
The advances in technology, automation etc all mean, that on average we should be working less. Yet, for some odd, cultural reason, most people tend to work quite a lot.
Do you not agree that merely skimming on the waves of consumption and taking easy on work, one could have a much better life, with more time for family, culture, sports etc?

[Paddy]

Basically I've seen quite a few 'success' stories, interviews with people of age 60 and above, who are considered successful, at least financially speaking, and (unless they inherited the wealth) they all generally tend to say "I've worked hard, for 16 hours a day, for 25 years for this".
To me that doesn't sound like a successful life - if they have worked so much, no wonder they earned quite a bit and working so much, they didn't even have the time to spend it...

To me spending the healthiest years of your life doing that is not intelligent, nor smart. I generally understand the need to work a little, but it is beyond me, why would we need to work *more* than hunter/gatherers of the past millenia.
The advances in technology, automation etc all mean, that on average we should be working less. Yet, for some odd, cultural reason, most people tend to work quite a lot.
Do you not agree that merely skimming on the waves of consumption and taking easy on work, one could have a much better life, with more time for family, culture, sports etc?

As an over 60, I agree with them however, nobody gets rich by working hard for other people; you need to work smart and work for yourself.

I did work 16 hrs a day when I had an hotel but it was worth it and I was financially better off in those days compared with today working in IT.

The problem as I see it these days is that people expect instant success and rewards without working for it.

[Lockhouse]

Most of the people who I know who have worked really hard have been "successful" in financial terms eventually. Most of them are happy too.

[bobspud]

Do you not agree that merely skimming on the waves of consumption and taking easy on work, one could have a much better life, with more time for family, culture, sports etc?

No because most of the things you would wish to do with the free time costs money.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

It's worse than that, Jim. Millions here and elsewhere work stupid hours the majority of their lives and wind up with neither time nor cash to enjoy.

I totally agree with the central tenet that it's a nuts system that forces all to work so much.

Success: A Simple Life Well Lived

[gingerjedi]

The advances in technology, automation etc all mean, that on average we should be working less. Yet, for some odd, cultural reason, most people tend to work quite a lot.

Advances in technology and automation have been used to push output up for similar effort not make our lives easier, on the whole I don't see who gains if everyone is at it.

I'm trying to get myself in a position where I don't need so much money to survive, I see minimal outgoings as key to a less stressful life as I can then afford to be choosy about what I do.

[d000hg]

I've never seen anyone who is classed as "a genius" or a "success story" who hasn't put in the hard work. Being willing to work damn hard seems to be just about the biggest gift those guys have - and I do think it is at least partly a gift/talent. Actually the same goes for sport too.

[Spacecadet]

Advances in technology and automation have been used to push output up for similar effort not make our lives easier, on the whole I don't see who gains if everyone is at it.

I think the key message is that you need to be in front of the automation wave and make sure you keep moving fast enough to stay there!

[sasguru]

The key is to use your political skills to get to a place where you have a 6-figure salary for doing "strategy" and get other people to do the hard work.

HTH

[d000hg]

The thing is those mega-rich people could clearly slacken off once they get a business going, and sit back as decent money comes in - a few £million. Zuckerburg, Page, Gates, Jobs, Branson, Sugar, etc... they haven't hard to work since they scored big but they all choose to continue.

I like to think if I got something that would bring in £1m a year for little direct work, I'd take that... but if your option is £1m for no work or £3m a year for doing the work, you can always spend more