Life: Refusing to Be Regular

Last Sunday, I decided to take a walk downtown to clear my head after a long weekend. As I gathered my thoughts, pondered my future and dreaded the work week ahead, I began to notice an eerie similarity among all of the buildings. It wasn’t the meter maids writing tickets like they were going out of style or the pan handlers setting up shop in prime location. It was the fact that the top floor on just about every building had the lights on with someone working diligently as if it were a Tuesday afternoon. These were the CEOs and presidents of major organizations throughout the city. My perception of these individuals has always been someone who takes two hour lunch breaks and leaves work early. That idea was put to rest as I passed building after building with the same view. I began to realize just how important working harder than everyone else truly is. It’s not that these individuals are smarter than most, they just have the drive to put in the extra time. This got me to thinking about a more serious issue. The people that need to put in the extra time rarely do. The guy in the mail room that wants a promotion leaves every day at five on the dot. The woman that wants a raise makes sure she gets her full hour lunch break. While these hourly employees are taking their situation for what it is, the salaried individual who has the office with a view is refusing to be regular (average or typical).

A major problem that people of all backgrounds face is stagnation. People feel as though they are destined to live according to the lifestyle that they were raised in. People refuse to progress and are comfortable with what they are given. They wish they could be the guy in the luxury car instead of crafting a plan to make that purchase on their own. Being satisfied paying bills and having just enough money left to go out on the weekend is the epitome of being regular. It’s difficult to watch people live this way of life. So many talented individuals fall short of their aspirations simply because they don’t put in the time. Talent alone rarely breeds success. No matter how skilled you are at your craft, it is mandatory that you continue to work at it. Whether you are one of the top college athletes or an up and coming accountant at your job, if you don’t put in the time to get better you will never reach your full potential.

You often hear people complaining that this way of life takes up too much of their personal time. The thing is the time you spend at work is your time. It’s the time that you are spending to better your career and pursue future endeavors. It is the time that you are investing to be able to afford the lifestyle that you want for you and your family. Working half assed is unacceptable. No one ever says “I’m only going to partially enjoy myself at this party tonight.” So why do we take this attitude when it comes to work? Your work should be a reflection of you. You would feel offended if someone looked you in the face and called you regular. Yet people’s work ethic reflects that every day.

I know that there are going to be individuals that disagree with me and feel as though corporate success is not the most important thing in the world. They have no desire for the pressure that comes with the big office on the top floor. Perhaps my words alone are not enough to capture these individuals. Some people have to fall victim to a common way of life before realizing the necessity of diligence. Maybe they have never seen what happens to someone who thinks that natural talent is enough to get by. These people just have to see the reality of being just regular. Luckily, for them, Bill Cosby provided a scared straight tutorial.