How hard do you push yourself for career success?

[YS2003]

I never stops thinking about my works 24/7, even while I am studying colossal computer design work programs at my free times.

I am curious to know how the other forum members are commited to their works.

I have brought many profitable accounts to my employes (I am in sales) and my bosses recognize my achievents. Recently, I obtained the major account for my company; but, I just shrug off as one of those accounts I worked and I go back to my regular routine which is to study graphics works (CS2, MX2004, Blender, and others). I don't take vacaction days (for the last 3 years) as I feel those are waste of my time. I took 3 or 4 days off with my previous employer when I decided to move on to my current employer though. So, I basically work all year round except for public holidays (when the customers are not at work).

How about YOU?

 

[CompUser]

Well my dad leaves the house at 6:00 and comes home at 8:00 for work. He has a 1hr 15min - 1.5hr drive everyday (he refuses to move). Sometimes he goes in on the weekends. On vacation he is constantly on his blackberry reading/writing emails and talking to employees and customers. Or he is using his laptop to send and read emails.

On sunday night he left for singapore, he came back friday afternoon, slept some, took saturday off, and worked for 1/2 the day today even though it was easter.

Somedays he comes home at midnight if he has a lot of work to get done because of a deadline.

He works almost constantly. I can't remember the last time he came to one of my soccer games, lacrosse games, etc.

 

[iShane]

Well my dad leaves the house at 6:00 and comes home at 8:00 for work. He has a 1hr 15min - 1.5hr drive everyday (he refuses to move). Sometimes he goes in on the weekends. On vacation he is constantly on his blackberry reading/writing emails and talking to employees and customers. Or he is using his laptop to send and read emails.

On sunday night he left for singapore, he came back friday afternoon, slept some, took saturday off, and worked for 1/2 the day today even though it was easter.

Somedays he comes home at midnight if he has a lot of work to get done because of a deadline.

He works almost constantly. I can't remember the last time he came to one of my soccer games, lacrosse games, etc.

Jeez what does your dad do?

 

[adroit]

I used to work overtime in evenings and weekends too, and I still really do admire people who can work like that.

In the past 1-2 years, I have found someone who I really enjoyed spending time with. I also started spending more time with friends and do many differnt kinds of activities. I like to take vacations, usually a longer ones to go overseas and go camping/rock climbing on long weekends. Anyhow, I still work some overtime to make sure that my projects are completed. But I am far more efficient at work when I take a lot of holidays

I guess we are the opposite.

 

[amateurmacfreak]

As far as in school, I am fairly disciplined. When I feel passionate about something I am doing I work very hard because I want to show how I think and prove myself almost to my teachers (which sounds horrid, I need to thing of a better way to put that) and learn. In stuff I don't really care about I work to get good grades.

 

[thedude110]

I think this is a pretty revealing question -- about how we define success and why we've engaged the careers we've engaged.

I push myself pretty hard because I ask a lot of my students (read: I'm not going to ask more of them than I'm willing to give back) and because I recognize that their learning -- and to some degree their futures -- are my responsibility. But as I've approached 30, I've also learned to set limits regarding how much time I can give to my profession and to my students: I've made myself too sick (literally) too often. It's important to push your limits, and once youv'e found your limits, it's important to respect them.

That said, I'm spending this April vacation (one of the wonderful things about teaching!) checking out the feasibility of starting up a non-profit organization that I've dreamed of starting for about 5 years. Maybe someday to replace teaching, but for now to maintain alongside teaching.

So, maybe I don't know my limits quite yet ...

 

[CompUser]

Jeez what does your dad do?

He works for a company that makes powerplant boilers, controls, emissions reducing equipment.


Director, Proposal Development
President, Electrical Engineering (controls and such)
President, Auxiliary Systems (pumps, valves, etc)

Most of his focus is on proposal development. He has hired some people to help manage the other two divisions. But he is still always busy. The pay very good, but you have to sacrifice everything else in life, including your own family.

 

[jrichie]

I used to work hard until I realised that I am just making my boss money!

Now I don't anymore, and will only work hard if there is something in it for me [not just cash either]. Soon I will quit my job and run my own design business and soley be in charge.

When this happens I can imagine working all hours as I love designing stuff more than anything.

I don't think my girlfriend will be happy with this though!

 

[amateurmacfreak]

I think this is a pretty revealing question -- about how we define success and why we've engaged the careers we've engaged.

I push myself pretty hard because I ask a lot of my students (read: I'm not going to ask more of them than I'm willing to give back) and because I recognize that their learning -- and to some degree their futures -- are my responsibility. But as I've approached 30, I've also learned to set limits regarding how much time I can give to my profession and to my students: I've made myself too sick (literally) too often. It's important to push your limits, and once youv'e found your limits, it's important to respect them.

That said, I'm spending this April vacation (one of the wonderful things about teaching!) checking out the feasibility of starting up a non-profit organization that I've dreamed of starting for about 5 years. Maybe someday to replace teaching, but for now to maintain alongside teaching.

So, maybe I don't know my limits quite yet ...

You sound like a great teacher who shows a genuine interest in the lives of his students.
Would it be prodding, or may I ask what grade and subject you teach?

 

[comictimes]

hmm... work... I had homework to do over spring break (a few practice AP's)... first time I've done homework AT HOME in quite some time...

I'm not particularly motivated right now... but maybe that's the whole second semester senior thing catching up with me...

 

[thedude110]

Would it be prodding, or may I ask what grade and subject you teach?

This year, 11th and 12th grade English.

I'm begging for two sections of Creative Writing next year.

And not just to reduce my workload!

 

[amateurmacfreak]

hmm... work... I had homework to do over spring break (a few practice AP's)... first time I've done homework AT HOME in quite some time...

I'm not particularly motivated right now... but maybe that's the whole second semester senior thing catching up with me...

Ah yes, I'm sure.... 20% of the graduating class (8th graders) at my school have below a 50% homework average across the board b/c they've already gotten accepted to high schools and chosen where they want to go.

 

[amateurmacfreak]

This year, 11th and 12th grade English.

I'm begging for two sections of Creative Writing next year.

And not just to reduce my workload!

Haha, cool.
My most caring teacher would be my French teacher. Or my science teacher, b/c he is among the wisest people I know. And he works so hard for his students. He came in on Saturday from 9 to 2 to do statistical analysis with hormonal adolescents. And he stayed 3 days that week until 6:30 to do it with the kids for our huge 7th grade science project.
Some kids like to joke that he's the cause of childhood obesity (stress=binge eating) b/c of the huge amount of stress with the science project.
I personally think his attention to detail and care about my work with cause me to suceed in the scientific world, which I aspire to be a part of someday.
He is one of the most hard-working teachers/people and I know, and he made me fall in love with science.

 

[angelneo]

I usually goes out at 8am and comes home at 12midnight. In a normal day, I usually need to go to 2 different offices. I am running my own business and working in another. Just started my own business with a couple of friends for less than a year, still struggling. I'm pretty open with my other boss about my own stuff, offers to quit but was asked to stay. Usually spend my weekend at my own office catching up with work but would spend a day a week for my leisure activities (gaming, or the beach etc), or sometimes, I would go to the gym in the evening on weekdays

 

[Peyton]

If I was married, or had kids, I wouldn't be this way because I know how to prioritize, but right now, I work 7 jobs, I graduating college in 3 years with 2 degrees, I volunteer with 4 organizations locally and I am very committed to 2 major charities.

My definition of 'career' success is more like 'life' success because if you aren't happy doing the things you are doing you are going to be miserable. So I work incredibly hard, I haven't been sick in at least 12 years (I'm 20) never missed a day of school, don't watch tv that isn't tivo'ed and therefore save a lot of time.

I do get carried away tho, last fall I decided eating was a waste of time and basically ate 1 meal a day, but still ran on average of 10 miles, 4 times a week. I lost a lot of weight, I was down to 110, and I'm 5'10.

I sleep about 3 hours a night, its actually not unhealthy because I go straight to REM sleep unlike some that take 4 hours to get to REM sleep, but I find even that time is very unproductive.

As far as vacations go, I went to hawaii last year for 2.5 days (met my family who was vacationing, I was in summer school so I couldn't take off the time.

I went to Puerto Rico for work about a year and a half ago (google me, I was in some magazines for the work we did down there)

And las vegas for spring break this year. When I'm away I just think about all the things I should/could be doing, but I really enjoy all that I do so its not like I torture myself or anything.

Its difficult, at my pace, to meet and go out regularly with a special woman tho

 

[iShane]

He works for a company that makes powerplant boilers, controls, emissions reducing equipment.


Director, Proposal Development
President, Electrical Engineering (controls and such)
President, Auxiliary Systems (pumps, valves, etc)

Most of his focus is on proposal development. He has hired some people to help manage the other two divisions. But he is still always busy. The pay very good, but you have to sacrifice everything else in life, including your own family.

Lol. Sounds...confusing to say the least.

 

[adroit]

If I was married, or had kids, I wouldn't be this way because I know how to prioritize, but right now, I work 7 jobs, I graduating college in 3 years with 2 degrees, I volunteer with 4 organizations locally and I am very committed to 2 major charities.

My definition of 'career' success is more like 'life' success because if you aren't happy doing the things you are doing you are going to be miserable. So I work incredibly hard, I haven't been sick in at least 12 years (I'm 20) never missed a day of school, don't watch tv that isn't tivo'ed and therefore save a lot of time.

I do get carried away tho, last fall I decided eating was a waste of time and basically ate 1 meal a day, but still ran on average of 10 miles, 4 times a week. I lost a lot of weight, I was down to 110, and I'm 5'10.

I sleep about 3 hours a night, its actually not unhealthy because I go straight to REM sleep unlike some that take 4 hours to get to REM sleep, but I find even that time is very unproductive.

As far as vacations go, I went to hawaii last year for 2.5 days (met my family who was vacationing, I was in summer school so I couldn't take off the time.

I went to Puerto Rico for work about a year and a half ago (google me, I was in some magazines for the work we did down there)

And las vegas for spring break this year. When I'm away I just think about all the things I should/could be doing, but I really enjoy all that I do so its not like I torture myself or anything.

Its difficult, at my pace, to meet and go out regularly with a special woman tho

I'm surprise you've got the time to post on macrumors

 

[Peyton]

I'm surprise you've got the time to post on macrumors

Well, I actually get a lot out of this site, I find a lot of helpful tips to be more productive through here, but yea, my community discussion threads are just for fun. Don't get me wrong, I still have a lot of fun, I like being with friends, I just like doing things as well. btw, none of my jobs are hourly so that helps too

 

[Blue Velvet]

I don't have kids so no distractions there... Haven't been too fervent really although I do take work home most weekends including this Easter break... that's usually in order to meet stupid deadlines and/or do a better job on something that may need it. If it comes out OK, then it's a portfolio contender anyway.

But next year, I plan to start looking for another job with more responsibility. A change is as good as a rest, right?

 

[calculus]

I don't have kids so no distractions there...

speechless!

 

[Abstract]

I'm not quite committed to success at all. I'll admit that I've gotten lazy and generally do too little. When I try to do work, I post here instead, or I just check to see if anyone replied to any of the threads I remember posting in.

Doing a PhD right now related to cancer treatment. I should be more responsible, but I'm not. "School" hasn't been this easy for me since I was in high school. Yes......incredible, I know. But I'm supposed to work at my own pace, and that pace right now just happens to be "crawl."

If I was married, or had kids, I wouldn't be this way because I know how to prioritize, but right now, I work 7 jobs, I graduating college in 3 years with 2 degrees, I volunteer with 4 organizations locally and I am very committed to 2 major charities.

My definition of 'career' success is more like 'life' success because if you aren't happy doing the things you are doing you are going to be miserable. So I work incredibly hard, I haven't been sick in at least 12 years (I'm 20) never missed a day of school, don't watch tv that isn't tivo'ed and therefore save a lot of time.

I do get carried away tho, last fall I decided eating was a waste of time and basically ate 1 meal a day, but still ran on average of 10 miles, 4 times a week. I lost a lot of weight, I was down to 110, and I'm 5'10.

I sleep about 3 hours a night, its actually not unhealthy because I go straight to REM sleep unlike some that take 4 hours to get to REM sleep, but I find even that time is very unproductive.

As far as vacations go, I went to hawaii last year for 2.5 days (met my family who was vacationing, I was in summer school so I couldn't take off the time.

I went to Puerto Rico for work about a year and a half ago (google me, I was in some magazines for the work we did down there)

And las vegas for spring break this year. When I'm away I just think about all the things I should/could be doing, but I really enjoy all that I do so its not like I torture myself or anything.

Its difficult, at my pace, to meet and go out regularly with a special woman tho

"And the award for busiest man goes to....." *drumroll*

 

[CompUser]

I think the amount of effort you put in really depends on your job.

Like if my dad was lazy and careless, he would be fired instantly, or demoted. At his old work, his boss was stupid, lazy, and made bad decisions and it ended up bringing down an entire part of a major company.

If you work at mcdonalds and don't really care if you can make an order in 30 sec compared to 5 min.

 

[Applespider]

I work hard when I'm at work. If there's a special project on, then I'll work late or weekends but most of the time, I try to start/finish within 10 minutes of my official hours. I've done the 'work an hour either side' when I was younger and it really didn't get me enough brownie points to make it worthwhile.

I'm not a major career person. I want to earn enough money to have a reasonable standard of living (now and with some aside for the future) but my job is not the be-all and end-all of my life. I believe in working to live not living to work.

 

[dornoforpyros]

when I'm on the clock, I'll giver, if something can't be completed between 9-5 I'll keep working.

But when I'm off the clock, forget about it, thats my time and I'll do as I please. Including drug & alcohol use, as far as I'm concerned, if it doesn't effect my time on the clock, or my over-all performance, it's no one else's business but mine.

 

[Blue Velvet]

speechless!

Well, let's be frank. If you're committed to your work and see it as a vocation — which I do — then many things are distractions, including children. Financially, emotionally and time-wise.

Generalising, many of my colleagues in the creative industry feel the same way.

If so inclined I would have made a great nun. I may as well have been — all the action I'm seeing around here.