40 hours a week is part-time

When I started in the industry, 40 hours a week was a bare minimum. Suddenly, it seems like 30-32 hours is the official part time company line. Statistically speaking, the people who are bringing in the real money aren’t working 40 hours a week. They’re working 10, 12, up to 14 hours a day for 7 days a week. These people are pulling shifts like these and everyone looks at them and says, “I want what they have.” It may be that the guy down the street is making the same amount as them, it’s just a matter of who’s willing to work the longest and the most to bring in the bigger paycheck. Now, I understand for many folks, hours are regulated by a corporate structure or rule that prevents a certain amount of overtime from being accumulated, but often enough, the difference in willingness to work harder and longer than everyone else is what secures the promotion necessary to achieve that paycheck. Whatever you deem as the prize that you work for, it won’t come from just working forty hours a week. Showing your willingness to become the best with a readiness and diligence that reflects a superior work ethic comes from that willingness to make sacrifices and work harder than the guy next to you.

Complacency is the hardest part of any job. Getting stuck or getting burnt out will sap that willingness to put in more hours, even when there is no ceiling to the amount of overtime you can accumulate. In that case, start looking. Get off your couch, gather some skills, start learning a trade, find out what it is that you need to succeed in life. Stagnant water is foul water, but a running river is pure and healthy. No matter what goals you may be setting for yourself, never forget to push yourself to a destination that’s healthy. If you find yourself running ragged from work, pace yourself. When you train for a marathon, you have to find your limits before you can break them. Once you know them, you can reach for the next rung on that ladder to pull yourself even higher.