Written by: Vickie Sullivan | September 08, 2026
The Real Reward of Hard Work
Wow…where did the summer go? I can’t believe Labor Day weekend has come and gone.
As usual, I stayed indoors to escape the heat and pondered our expectations about work. Our country’s history rests on the story that if you work hard, you will be successful. Too bad that narrative is a myth.
Yes, long hours and sacrifices is a must-have in any success story. But I’m hearing too much confusion that putting in the effort should guarantee a specific result. This assumption creates huge disappointment when we “do everything right” but still don’t get the success we think we deserve.
The story we tell ourselves about work determines when we quit or if we bounce back. It drives how we navigate winning and losing.
Instead of setting ourselves up for discouragement, let’s adjust our expectations. What does consistent hard work really do? It hedges your bets. It plants seeds, with no guarantee those efforts will grow into accomplishments.
But more importantly, hard work answers big questions. Who do you become by putting in the effort, regardless of the outcome? What have you learned about yourself and what you want out of life?
Realistic expectations are focused less on guarantees and more on how we grow into better humans. Results, no matter what they are, are just fuel for what’s next.
Perhaps who we become is the real reward for hard work.
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