the ant and the grasshopper,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

There was a quote I heard "Life can be hard, but if you are stupid it is a lot harder"...(anyone remember who said that?) I think that if you work really hard you will do a whole lot better than someone like you who doesn't...and being smart/lucky or even both helps too... Edited 30-Jul-25 16:34pm

Definitely, that is why there is a phrase that say: 'No pain no gain'. Experience it!

I'd like to think so, but unfortunately it's who you know, rather than what

Yes.!!!. It says in Bible if you don't work you don't eat

Be happy with a days work,the rest is vanity,King Solomon said.

Find a job where you have your interest.... that way you can enjoy your work so it doesn't feel like work and make money

I have worked hard all my life but found that I got more joy by helping people with little to show for it.Does it mean I am not looking out for myself while feeling that I am doing good deeds in helping others?.at least I feel I have done it with good intentions.

Depends on how you define success and hard work - from personal experience for me and people in my life its more about luck and knowing what you want when you have the time/money/health to go after it

The answer to this is extremely complicated. First, define success. Second, are you counting financially successful or good work ethic successful? Third, not everyone who works their butts off get ahead. Part time work and then throw in a needed repair, or an illness, or whatever else you haven't budgeted for, or earned enough in the first place for, and you're on the street. For me, I liked my job, felt I didn't make enough money for how hard it was physically and mentally, and I lived paycheque to paycheque, going into big debt because ex didn't pay child support for way too long, and yet I felt successful because my kids loved me and appreciated how hard I worked for them to have everything they needed.

Maybe we were given the wrong template for living? So much focus on money and acquisition, or gaining a position of power. Perhaps we need to do the right thing for the right reason. Some people want to do a job because it has meaning and gives them satisfaction. Some people like to give to others because they did not get enough (love, care or attention ) themselves. Others want to compensate for coming from a financially poor family or coming from the so-called wrong side of the tracks. It seems to me that everyone is chasing healing of the hurt, pain and loss in work instead of realising that money, prestige, power will not heal their pain. Doing the emotional work will help heal the pain, sharing with others will help. But sometime in life , it will be time to stop and apraise our decisions often made in high school , adolescence, or early 20's and ask why am I doing this, following the script I'm following, doing what I am doing? Can I self reflect and update my information and update my decisions? Is it really worth it? What would be a more balanced or better fit as a lifestyle for me and my life and my family and friends? Being on the tread mill it needs to be more than just surviving and ticking the boxes, I think. Where is the spiritual fulfilment, where is the supportive insightful, kind and loving community, where do i belong? Where am I stuck in childhood pain, grief and loss, why isn't my life working? Most people don't have the time to reflect and enjoy life or know true peace and the real joy of being alive. For me it is not about money or power it is about being alive and finding something I enjoy doing everyday. Because cost of living and housing is so expensive it leaves people with little time to truly live and enjoy life. I've set the benchmark very low, I have survived and I'm doing ok have a roof over my head but humanbeings are never satisfied there is always something else they want to fill the emptyness. Sometimes just stopping and taking stock and doing a gratitude list of the blessings, in my life helps me enormously, focusing on what I do have and giving thanks . Then I find peace and that for me is great, then I feel like I have everything. :-) Then I can stop running and that is all I really need. There is no such thing as success it is an illusion, a climbing a ladder, box ticking, ego feeding exercise in self justification. That has made me feel less than until I let it go!

I think that they do.Work hard and my physcial body is going down hill.Barley making it on SS.

I worked damned hard for almost half a century and today after a forced retirement to save LandAmerica money (I was only 59 in 2008) I had to opt in for my pension ($217 a month) and my SS ($1497 a month) and $700 a month is my rent! I have nothing now and nobody cares. I'd be better off dead.

As has been mentioned a number of times already by other contributors, how do you define success? Success has different meanings to different people. If you aim for failure, you can be successful.

It depends on what you call ‘success’. Some people really work hard and achieve things like buying a home, raising a family etc and are happy with what they have but they don’t necessarily, earn a great amount of money and a lot of sacrifice is involved. To me, it’s about working smarter than harder and enjoying the work that you do.

Depends on a lot of things. Just because you work hard does not guarantee you succeed in life. A lot of things can happen..... things you had no control over. And then there are always people who are lucky enough to win a lot of money or inherit it.

Like most anything else...some people do, others don't. There are often many other circumstances/situations that come into play.

Pft no. Hard work is now seen as a threat. And thanks to dei (didn't earn it) less competent people are getting jobs instead

It is just as hard to live an ethical, balanced life today as it was to gain financial gain in the past. It is difficult to fight generational wealth weather it be money, prestige, space, historical...

people succeed in life in so many other ways as opposed to employment for success

My personal thought on this is no because if they work hard at their job -- they are committed to it and their life as a family suffers.

if your a people pleaser you will almost always put yourself last. Others may take advantage of this and you will struggle to get ahead

Who knows?

Usually you do find rich people have worked hard but you can also find hard working people who have nothing. Some people can manage their finances well while others don't have a clue. If you are making money you should either learn how to manage it or get someone to help you who can. I have met many rich people who didn't have a well-paid job but were able to manage their money then went on to live a very comfortable life. Some also made the mistake of becoming very mean and petty worrying about very small things.

It gets more rare because of polpulation explosion. It was more common when there was a lower population. It will be even harder maybe when Neo robots are the success not the humans.

If you work hard you will succeed. But you won't necessarily achieve enough. But slacking off or not working won't get you anywhere. You work to live.

Most people who are successful are good at working hard but not everyone who works hard will have the same success. Other factors such as making the right decisions or being smart in your approach, having grit, being persistent, being disciplined all contribute along with working hard when it comes to being successful.

If you like what you do and work hard you generally succeed in life.

effort=reward

Up to the person

I used to work in a place where a very well paid executive had an office. As far as I could tell he came in when he felt like it, read the financial press, made a few phone calls, went to a business lunch, came back, packed up and went home. But I'm told that the phone calls and lunch made the company a LOT of money. Although I assume he had to work hard at some point to get to that place.

Sometimes but how often do you see people who do very little but have had the golden hand shake from someone and receive multi million dollar salaries and bonuses for doing very little but attend the odd meeting or two. Then you see the man / woman breaking their backs to do a job and get paid a pittance. Not a fair world I am afraid but it never has been. So I guess success is measured in the persons own measurement of their work v success.

These days it's all about 4 simple words, 1 Easy to remember phrase: WORK SMARTER NOT HARDER. The best 4 word phrase I've applied to my children growing up now they have children of their own living abroad with their jobs taking them across the globe

It would depend on their wants and needs and their goals Edited 15-May-25 17:37pm

Yes, it is possible if you save, save, save and not spend, spend, spend! We need to avoid instant gratification.

Big NO, in this day and time, it is not about what you know but who you know, nepotism is rampant in workplaces, diplomatic and political appointments

People who don't work hard but put in a little more effort at times get more recognition than those that work hard all the time

Success means different things for different people.If you have targets that you acieve that is success

Like everything in life - some do, some don't. We call it luck or fate or just right person in right place at right time. Sometime it comes as an almighty shock when the person realizes that work has yielded the prize! It is a prize and many don't at first realize what they have achieved.

Not always

not always

not always

Not all of them. Some will go by the old saying if at first you don't succeed cheat. Or was that try, try again

Not necessarily. Some people work extremely hard but don't know how to manage their finances hence end up with nothing at the end

Yes, you have to be good with your money no matter what your income is . Or else spend over your means and get yourself in trouble!

It takes hard work if you want to be good at what you do. Being one of the best can be considered being successful.

Depends upon your definition of success.

no not in my case

Depends on the Breaks you get and decisions you make ... Best plan in todays climate ... work for the government..... who has no sympathy for those in Small BusinessEdited 14-May-25 14:01pm

Not necessarily. It really depends on what you consider to be success in your life and how you feel about what you have achieved.

Yes work hard but spend your money wisely

I guess it all depends on how one measures success

If that's what they want to do and achieve it, then they are a success.

It depends these days, it is not what you know, but WHO you know, Jobs come that way today too. You love your job, you will work hard and feel successful.

Yes but sometimes it depends on the company

Typo in proceeding post. Should read "I think people who work hard ALMOST ALWAYS succeed in life."

I think that people who work hard almost succeed in life. I also think that parents who instill a disciplined, hard work ethic in their children give them one of the most important tool for a successful, fulfilled life.

It all depends on what you think "success" is.

Yes I am not over rich but paid off our house asap while we went without a lot , Now at our old age we are doing ok ,

Who is going to decide for me if my working life has been a successful one? I think this is something we each decide for ourselves, it is not the same measure for everyone.

Yes, no matter what they do so long as the work they do is Honest, they have managed to live without seeking handouts. If men make it possible for their female partner to be a Stay at Home Mum - IF that is what SHE wants - even if he has to take a couple of moderately paid jobs he has been a Magnificent Success by any measure. Having lots of money does not make for, nor guarantee, happiness, very often it just makes you want more and more and then more.

once upon a time i would have agreed with you but now i see a lot of people move ahead because they are happy to kiss arse and keep the right company,willing to tread on their workmates

Generally, yes!

Depends on the company we keep.

What is success?? Money hungry creeps die alone, because nobody cares

Well it's not all about the money for some. I think working hard has a value all it's own.

A liberal objective, they will work harder for less, if they are hungry enough.

Work smart, not hard.

some do some don't

not necessarily - it depends on what they are doing and how much they get paid

you can work as hard as you want, but if you don't speak up and work toward a higher position, you may stay where you are. so i say no. you have to partner with people, not just work hard.

What defines "succeed in life"?? Having huge piles of money and expensive toys? Being famous? Nope. Having enough money to pay your bills while still having the free time to do what you want? Having good family and friends? Probably. Ignoring that, the people who actually work hard often do not make much money - people like nurses, policemen, firefighters, ambulance staff, etc. The people who do make lots of money are usually the lazy and over-paid celebrities, politicians, and business management who do very little actual work. People with lots of money have usually obtained it at the public's expense somewhere along the line by charging too much for goods and services.Edited 14-May-25 09:52am

It certainly helps, but it doesn't necessarily mean you're going to succeed

There are those who produce results and those who get the credit. Try to be both.

Some times if your in the right field

smarter not harder... I retired early and now work harder than I ever did for zero cash reward. It's called volunteering in the community.

no they are just wrong about everything bogans

Not all the time. I know someone who worked hard for one of his project. But it doesn't work because his supervisor had chosen wrong method.

IN ADDITION TO HARD WORK YOU GOT TO GET THE LUCKY STAR

Success not measured in dollars is much more desirable. Do what you love and the money will follow, my Dad always said.

No. Luck can play a role, but maybe 'success' needs to be defined further. Mozart and Beethoven died poor, yet were successful in their profession, but not so much in what life they had carved out.

Started work at 16, I remember my first pay packet, 36 dollars. I was rich, I could conquer the world. For 2 years, I paid my mum board, bought what I wanted, and saved. When 18, life discovered me, and I had a lot of fun for a few years. We toured Australia, did a lot of things I shouldn't, got into the credit system, discovered booze/girls, and by 26 i had a baby and a wife, life stopped as i knew it a new life had begun, at 62 i am living week by week i have 3 kids and 3 grandkids i do some volunteer work at the local schools,,,i have never been more happy or successful i have no desire for money i have prepaid my bills out 6 months ahead have a reasonable garden, i want for nothing except smiles on my grankids faces, I've worked hard,played hard ,had lots of coin but i have never felt more successful when i see my grandkids laugh when i see them use manners when i hear what wonderful kids you have thereEdited 14-May-25 13:06pm

I tend to agree with JANN R and have left my response there.

It is a common belief that with hard work one achieves success. However, that largely depends on how employers value hard workers and reward hard work. If someone becomes invisible at work they become disillusioned.

They don’t

Some do. Some don't. For a few years I had a full time job in a paper mill while at the same time holding down 3 part time jobs as well as my own small business. So success financially did not happen. No children, no partner/love interest till I met her when I was almost 44 years old. Way too late and set in my ways for both of us to think about a family, although she had an adult daughter from her previous marriage. She passed away, her daughter took most of what I put into my partners house and now as they say, I barely have a pot to piss in. So what is your version of success?

No. We all need to work smarter.

I feel your contradicting yourself but personally I do believe in working hard no matter what the outcome.

I personally have worked hard and I have succeeded,BUT now I am retired,I am still in demand,so YES I agree

They definitely succeed more than people who don't work hard! But it's all about understanding the difference between efficiency and effectiveness.

I believe that people that work hard in life succeed but it is all an in valid effort if they don't save their money and invest in everything that they can

It depends on your pay

TY JANN R....

Depends on how you measure success. If success is monetary wealth then not all regardless of their efforts. Not all jobs pay well enough,or they find it difficult to move ahead in their chosen field. I gauge success in living well,overcoming obstacles in life,growing as a person,raising a family. If one gets to the end of their life satisfied they have done all within their ability to achieve or more and are happy,no regrets. That is success,your life's journey lived well.

Most of them do but it depends on the busines there in if you want to get any were you have to work for it

Unfortunately it doesn't always work that way, it depends on the business. But if you have worked hard you know within yourself you have succeeded in life and done the right thing.

Hard work does not guarantee success. Sometimes you need to know the right people.

Back in my days success was simply moving up from the bottom of the ladder. Now it's how many online 'followers' you have. I worked hard building because I loved it, not for success but that did follow without me trying.

Not true, there are millions of people working as hard as they can and not getting a head. It's more a who you know than what you know world now. Being in the right place at the right time with the right skill set helps. Too many people pass on opportunities presented to them because they see it as too hard or are scared of something new. When in reality you should take a chance if you can as it will broaden your horizons.

depends what your goals in life are. Work towards fulfilling those goals and you would be considered sucessful by those that know the hard work you have put in.