Do you think that giving "it" your all, no matter what "it" is, will pay off in the long run?

Depends on what “it” is.

@erichw1504 Well, I think it’s a mind set that some people have and others don’t. I have it. I give my all to everything I do (except house work) be it yard work, remodeling, my kids. I always do the very best I can do (except housework!)

@Val123 Well, I’m lazy so I wouldn’t know.

If I give it my all then even if I fail I will know it was not due to lack of effort on my part.

Also if you do not give it all then how can you take pride in your victory?
One of my favorite sayings is “Nothing truly worth having comes easy”

@erichw1504 Well, you can give your all to that too, then!

@Val123 Good idea, but what if I’m too lazy about giving it all my to my laziness?

No. I think that is a deliberate hoax to keep working people from voting and acting in their own interests, by causing them to believe in the possibility of aspiration.

It’s about as likely as hitting the lottery, which is to say that the deck is stacked, and the odds are vanishingly small.

Well, I don’t know, since I have given my all multiple times only to wish I didn’t because it wasn’t worth it for me. Just trouble and heartache really…

yes. just take all the mundane things we see in our day to day life. like fridge magnets in the shape of vegetables. at some point, someone had to take out a loan, build/buy a factory, hire staff and do all the other things that where required to make it a reality.

they now probably turn over several million a year, and people used to say he was crazy.

you can make a success out of anything if you try hard enough.

Unfortunately it doesn’t always work out.

A personal example. I worked in retail for awhile. I busted my butt to get my job done on time and done well. However most of my coworkers did not do the same. So I was never let out on time, instead I was expected to not only do my job on time and well but when done to help my coworkers finish their job. I had the largest department in the store too. When they initiated an incentive plan that gave random props to employees I was thrilled. Finally I might get some recognition. I did not get any recognition, not once. What I learned from that job was to not work too hard because it will be expected of you and not recognized. Whereas coworkers who normally did a crappy job, the one day they did a decent one would good major props.

Not always, I like this better: “work smarter not harder”.

What you’re describing is the Peter Principle.

@pdworkin Sure, the odds may be small, but they’re nill if you don’t at least buy a lottery ticket. The point is, you can get a job flippin’ burgers, and if you have the attitude “This job sucks and I don’t care about it,” and it shows in your relationship with your coworkers, and it shows when you constantly show up late or not at all….with that attitude it’s 100% that you’ll never get any further.

@RedPowerLady That sucks. And we’ve all been in situations like that. But..what do you want to see when you look in the mirror? Someone who just doesn’t care, or someone who can be proud of what she’s done, even if no one else noticed?

@buckyboy28 Interesting! Thanks

Give enough but don’t lose yourself in the giving.

@Val123 At the time I was a full-time college student working more hours than I could handle just to pay rent. I was already proud of myself. I really didn’t need to be going above and beyond without getting recognition for it, all I did was cause myself some stress that was so not needed. I am proud of myself for being a hard worker and have never been a slacker and never intend to be one. However I do now realize that balance is the most necessary component of most work environments.

It doesn’t always have to pay off in the future, but giving it my all always pays off for me in the present.

@RedPowerLady GA
@Simone_De_Beauvoir I’m thinking more than anything about a mindset. The right mindset will pay off at some point whether it’s now or in the future.

Sometimes you do everything you can and it still isn’t enough. Once we accept this, it makes life easier. Doing your best however is its own reward.
No one likes the feeling of having failed knowing they could have done more.

@The_Compassionate_Heretic You said, “Doing your best however is its own reward. ” Great answer!! It IS a reward unto itself!
I don’t know about the latter though. I think there are some who really don’t care if they fail or succeed….

@The_Compassionate_Heretic:
I LURVE this!

I’m of a generation that was raised by parents who told me if I did my best and if I did “good” things then good would come to me, I couldn’t fail. I don’t believe in this though. People do need to accept sometimes their best isn’t enough to succeed, that sometimes they aren’t that special of a snowflake after all and that’s okay because life can still be beautiful and delicious at times. Doing your best is it’s own reward for building and affirming yourself but you shouldn’t beat up other people for not recognizing your brand of greatness.

Good answer @The_Compassionate_Heretic

no time to read the other responses… but to answer the title question: Giving “it” your all may or may not lead to success; but if it doesn’t work out, at least you’ll have the clear conscience that it wasn’t due to lack of effort on your part.

@hearkat Good answer!

“Giving it your all” is really vague. Hard work by itself won’t get you to the top. If you want to give it your all as an entrepreneur, you can work hard, but you have to be intelligent enough to make people want to spend money on your company. If you give it your all to rise through the ranks of a business, you have to build relationships with the people above you so they will recognize and promote you.