The successes we achieve in life, do they mostly come as a result of good luck or hard work? My Dad, Celestine Obichere Nwachukwu once said, “I believe in hard work not good luck; but if good luck comes I use it to boost my hard work.” The above statement distinguishes rather than separates the two. However, his claim implies that he had his focus on hard work, while not ruling out good luck. What should be our attitude to our successes with reference to these two orientations to reality?
A success accrues to hard work if its life wire is solely connected to a conscious and persistent working out. Here, the individual involved is the harbinger. But can we have a success that is directly proportional to the effort committed to it? As far as the answer is no, our attitude to our successes should not be solely accrued to the effort employed. There is always some sort of good luck!
Good luck, in itself, refers to something unmerited. However, it must have some bases. This cultivation ground for good luck is given by our efforts. Hard work opens up the parameter from which success emerges. Thus, hard work gives the bases upon which we embrace and appreciate good luck, which is mostly hidden under our successes. In other words, one should not fold his arms and wait for good luck to fall upon him. He must be active. However, he should never forget that there is more to his good fortunes or otherwise than his efforts. We face much anxiety when we overlook activity while focusing on its fruits.
From the foregoing, it is obvious that man is not defined by his activity or earnings. He is not a robot or beast of burden. That is why his efforts can never be proportional to the outcome. He has dignity not because he works or earns, but because he is! Therefore, his dignity can never be compared with his works. Any thought-system, attitude or action that equates a person or treats him as means to some success is an insult on human dignity. The same applies when an individual is treated as an object of pleasure. Work is meant for man not vice versa.
So, man must neither be workaholic nor lazy. He should execute his task, earn his wages and take his time-off. Success should never be targeted at the expense of a dignified life.
Yes! Man has dignity because he is. And “he is” because God is! Man is who God has made him to be. Thus, his very worth or dignity is given! In other words, we cannot divorce God from any discourse about man without arriving at a distorted view. Interestingly, “givenness”, which is rooted in God, becomes an intrinsic part of man’s existential experience. There is always something unmerited, something given or rather, good luck, which lubricates our daily quest for survival.
That is why it is commonly said that we should work as if everything depends on us, and pray as if everything depends on God. Good luck and hard work are the two sides of every success or failure we experience. A silent pause on this issue will reveal to us the inevitability of prayer in our life.
Chinwenwa J. N (My holiday reflections, July 2008)
A success accrues to hard work if its life wire is solely connected to a conscious and persistent working out. Here, the individual involved is the harbinger. But can we have a success that is directly proportional to the effort committed to it? As far as the answer is no, our attitude to our successes should not be solely accrued to the effort employed. There is always some sort of good luck!
Good luck, in itself, refers to something unmerited. However, it must have some bases. This cultivation ground for good luck is given by our efforts. Hard work opens up the parameter from which success emerges. Thus, hard work gives the bases upon which we embrace and appreciate good luck, which is mostly hidden under our successes. In other words, one should not fold his arms and wait for good luck to fall upon him. He must be active. However, he should never forget that there is more to his good fortunes or otherwise than his efforts. We face much anxiety when we overlook activity while focusing on its fruits.
From the foregoing, it is obvious that man is not defined by his activity or earnings. He is not a robot or beast of burden. That is why his efforts can never be proportional to the outcome. He has dignity not because he works or earns, but because he is! Therefore, his dignity can never be compared with his works. Any thought-system, attitude or action that equates a person or treats him as means to some success is an insult on human dignity. The same applies when an individual is treated as an object of pleasure. Work is meant for man not vice versa.
So, man must neither be workaholic nor lazy. He should execute his task, earn his wages and take his time-off. Success should never be targeted at the expense of a dignified life.
Yes! Man has dignity because he is. And “he is” because God is! Man is who God has made him to be. Thus, his very worth or dignity is given! In other words, we cannot divorce God from any discourse about man without arriving at a distorted view. Interestingly, “givenness”, which is rooted in God, becomes an intrinsic part of man’s existential experience. There is always something unmerited, something given or rather, good luck, which lubricates our daily quest for survival.
That is why it is commonly said that we should work as if everything depends on us, and pray as if everything depends on God. Good luck and hard work are the two sides of every success or failure we experience. A silent pause on this issue will reveal to us the inevitability of prayer in our life.
Chinwenwa J. N (My holiday reflections, July 2008)
