People Reveal The Moment They Realized Being Nice And Working Hard Got Them Nowhere

@k8_lister/Twitter

November 19, 2021, 11:18 am

Growing up, we are often told that hanging in there, working hard, taking on unpaid projects, staying late, and generally being available to your boss at all hours will lead to significant success. Much more often, it actually leads to horrible burnout and other people getting promoted over you—but not everyone realizes this right away.

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Writer Kate Lister wanted to know how long it took for the people around her to figure this stuff out, writing, “How old were you when you realised your original plan of being really nice, working really hard, & taking on much more than you should in the hope you would be automatically rewarded for this without asking, was totally sh-t?”

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How old were you when you realised your original plan of being really nice, working really hard, & taking on much more than you should in the hope you would be automatically rewarded for this without asking, was totally shit?

— Kate Lister (@k8_lister) July 24, 2021

There are tens of thousands of replies with a huge range of ages. Some were young, some were old, and some were just finding this out by reading Lister’s tweet. Doing a good job at your job is probably more satisfying than doing terribly, but there is no guarantee of success when you work for anyone with a bottom line. Which is all businesses.

Lister added in a follow-up tweet, “The Joker said, ‘if you’re good at something, never do it for free.’ While it is nice to be nice & it is great to work hard & to try & be good at whatever you do, but do not do that shit for free, people! Know your worth… and then add tax.”

Good advice!

1.

I was 20 when I found out that my reward for doing a fantastic job on something was to be given the work of the people who were completely useless at the job. So my workload doubled and they got to leave early every day.

— Majikal666 (@Majikal6661) July 24, 2021

2.

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3.

People should not have to apply and interview for a company they work for. Pay raises and respect and trust increases should come automatically at regular intervals the worker should not have to beg for respect and a living/thriving wage.

— Safer Shirts (@safershirts) November 12, 2021

4.

I hear you.
My dad used to say “stick your fist in a bucket of water, then pull it out. That’s how long they’ll miss you.”
Cynical, but true.

— [email protected] (@auntieblazr) July 24, 2021

5.

Reminds me of a national maths test I took at around 13 years old. I won a gold award. Not that I ever received it, my school never told me – I wasn’t the sort of child they wanted representing them. I only found out because my friend saw my name on the gold list.

— Otters (@otterjotters) July 25, 2021

6.

Women do that because when they ask for a raise (after working hard and going the extra mile), they’re likely to be penalized.

— Hipster Sasquatch, Feelin blue in Kentucky (@Gr8SageEqlofHvn) July 25, 2021

7.

Almost similar situation. Age 35-obtain an MBA, no children and worked hard to have a promotion, they gave it to a 27 years old guy with a simple Master. Then I found out the real face of my ex husband, so i divorced him, got another job to another country.

— Anna Adonzzo (@adonzzo) July 25, 2021

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8.

Bro they did me dirty the same fuckin way. Two goddamn years in that hellhole and i get a nickel

— Rangor (@warlockofmars) July 26, 2021

9.

Absolutely spot on. Time and peace-of-mind are much more important than money.

— Collymac (@collymac) July 25, 2021

10.

Kate: “How old were you when you realised your original plan of being really nice, working really hard, & taking on much more than you should in the hope you would be automatically rewarded for this without asking, was totally shit ?”

When my wife died in 2015 [I was 60]

PRM pic.twitter.com/UqGKaDLF6L

— Dr. Patrick R. Mullen (@prmullen69) July 25, 2021

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*First Published: November 19, 2021, 11:18 am