Where did grafting go?
Let’s not play pretend darling, you gotta roll up your sleeves.
I hate this rhetoric that Gen- Z are lazy or don't have the drive to graft their way up the ranks - I am Gen Z and I run an agency for crying out loud. But I can see where these gross misconceptions come from. Trends like ’quiet quitting’ have hurt our image & to be honest the older generations do not trust us to keep this economy going. I however could not disagree more & I think we are going to get this economy boosting. But something does need to change & it's not about productivity- it's about perception.
There is an age old saying “fake it till you make it” which was not set up by Gen Z but I think is very purported in our current way of life. With articles on Money Dysmorphia and us spending outside our means to be like those we see online, or everyone trying to sell you a template to become an overnight millionaire, you can get really caught in the noise that to succeed you have to make it seem like you have it already and follow it up with evidence later on.
Similarly, the culture around work life balance, creating distinct boundaries between your job and personal life (which I wholeheartedly agree with btw) & digital nomads, has lead people to believe that mass amounts of people can have a 4 hour work week and be on a six figure sum which is just incredibly unrealistic.
But where did good old grafting go? The expectation and knowledge that it takes hard work to be able to accelerate and build, that sometimes sacrifices and difficulty come with the territory of becoming better at something. The understanding that work like life, can come with some seasons that need more from you- usually when you are younger and have a bit more energy to deal with the ever continuous battle of work and social life.
It seems like, much like the culture around ‘cringe’ that to make it seem like you are working really hard is somehow- embarrassing? That you should already be at the peak, be the boss, and be relishing in flexible hours and a digital nomad lifestyle. When really it takes long hours at the office, tasks you are bad at, fear and relentless determination to scale at that level.
I don’t want people to think that I am a stan of the Miranda Priestleys of this world (although icon) where ridicule and torment should be part of the package of scaling at anything- I have been part of that culture, suffered and would wish that on no one.
But there seems to be a real absence of pure grit and drive to get your goals? Thinking instead that it can be done in a flexible and balanced manner and for your boss to expect you to work out of hours when needed, or work above your pay grade to prove your capability- that you are being taken advantage of.
Look at artists or athletes, those at the peak of their field, they aren’t just giving 2 hours in the morning to their practice- it takes up most of their life, they build their world around it. And no I am not telling you to build your life around work, that is a completely personal decision, but I’m thinking that if you do naturally spend so much time at work in your life don’t you want to spend your life working hard and knowing you tried your best?
Hands up, I work really hard and I love it, sure it stabs me in the back once in a while with a juicy old burnout but I relish in challenge and scaling- its why I chose to be a founder. And of late when I tell people this, they look at me strange like I’m a monster, & all of a sudden I am back at school when it was embarrassing to have done my project on time and had good grades.
Why do I feel like the odd one out for wanting to be better at my job?
And I have no issue with the people who are more than happy to have a balanced lifestyle and don’t see work as the priority that I do- if anything I am jealous. This rant derives itself from the people who want the end result, but are pissed off when they have to put in the work- or look down on others who are making the sacrifices to reach their goals.
Let me know what you think, & maybe I too need to learn to slow down. But if I have the passion and drive to make it happen, can’t I put in the graft to turn my feelings into action?
