America thrives on the pressures that are within the work environment. Over the years, it has become increasingly prevalent that if a person is not pushing themselves to the brink, then they are not doing nearly enough to be considered successful. Society forces people to be the prime example of what hard work is. However, when does the pressure reach its peak, and when do we realize that too much creates a very toxic environment?
From the age of twelve, students are thrown into an environment where hard work is prioritized in and out of the classroom. If the standards of the curriculum are not met, then the student is behind and labeled as less than compared to their peers. No matter how many years have passed, or how progressive schools have claimed to be in terms of excluding students – due to things like grades and behavior – the expectations for students have only climbed. As education has expanded, so have the demands for what makes a person exceptional.
Based on today’s concept of outstanding, people have to compete with the hundreds of other students who are in multiple clubs, volunteering, have a passion project, doing internships, etc. If everyone is working themselves to the bone to stand out, then no one will. That is the perpetual cycle that many American students find themselves stuck in, simply because they have been subject to the idea that if you are not working hard, you have no worth. In fact, these beliefs are shoved down the throats of people everywhere they go. Sayings like: “No pain, no gain,” “The early bird gets the worm.”, and “ There may be people who have more talent than you, but there is no excuse for anyone to work harder than you– and I believe that” by baseball player Derek Jeter. All of this conveys the pressure to perform that people experience every day. I have begun to wonder when enough is enough, simply because everyone has their ceiling, and it is important to stop before you reach it. Pressure makes diamonds, sure, but some people are made out of glass.
However, it can be argued that with the expansion of higher education, the time and effort needed to provide such resources to students should be more demanding for higher-level success. To get the most out of something, you have to put the most effort into it first. Learning is an act of give and take, so as the education system gives more, the students are urged to take advantage of it. In fact, in the past five years, the Department of Education has spent $160.7 billion on federal student aid, work-study, and loans for higher education. Of course, if students are trying to get the most out of their education, they should put in the maximum effort, but when things cross the line is when the work becomes void of passion and purpose. In recent years, it has become glamorized to have absolutely no free time in the name of trying to be successful. In reality, this is a lame excuse for the pride problem in America. Success shouldn’t be about the ability to gloat.
All of this is not to say that putting in hard work is pointless or, in any case, unwanted. However, the copious amounts of work that are being done will continue to ground people down into dust until they have nothing left to give. Effort should have never turned into a competition for who can give more of themselves, and now that it has, the damage is evident. Workaholism is an infection that has only spread as the decades pass, and people should be wary. Remember that passion outweighs pressure, so work on things that will push you to be a better person. Just because an adult tells you to do something doesn’t always mean that it’s the right thing to do.
