”Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime.” This old Chinese proverb could not be more true. Hard work sometimes seems to be a dying art form. We often hear “Work smart, not hard” or some similar cliche, as if hard work is some death sentence only bestowed on the “unlucky”.

The truth is, there is great value in hard work. Hard work teaches perseverance, persistence, and determination. It teaches us that hard work pays off. It teaches us to push through when times are tough. Not everything in life is easy. It isn’t good to always have your hand out, waiting on someone to give you something.