The Grind
Dear M&M,
I guess your Dad is getting old. I am inspired to write this letter today, because "kids these days", are always going on about "The Grind". Facebook posts, rap songs, Twitter, and Instagram, all have examples of people saying something like "Out here grindin", "Rise and grind", or "Daily Grind". The funny thing is, I don't think many of them know what it means to really work hard, or to take the joy in the work ahead of them each day. I have seen posts, but I have rarely met people who walk up and go "I'm looking forward to doing what I have to today. Ready to GRIND!!". They do want the results, but don't take joy or desire in the day to day tasks at hand. In other words, they aren't like you 2.
You guys love to put in work right now, as little kids. It is amazing to watch. Whether it is playing casual sports, trying to learn new Ipad games, learning words to new songs, learning letters and numbers, gardening, mowing grass with your fake mowers, or just discovering new ways to annoy the shit out of each other, you guys give it your all, with little concern for what the endgame will actually be. Just as I look back now at the times I sold vacuums, got rejected from EIU, struggled to learn Structural Engineering the first time (i got a 30% on at test), wiped your asses, cleaned up spills, built chairs, spread mulch, or put on roofs (I really hate heights), I am sure one day I will look back at this time now, and laugh, but also have a lot of pride in what I'm doing too.
When any successful person is interviewed, you will quickly notice they want to talk about how they got where they are. When anyone talks about the success of Apple, they start with the story of a group of dreamers, in a garage, in the 70s. Steve Jobs mentioned it in speeches, people write books about it. Side note: You should be very encouraged, because a garage is easy to beat. If you start something, as long as it is not in a garage, you can say "We are already ahead of where Apple was at this time!".
If you find yourself starting something in a garage, then you can still say "We're tied with Apple!".
Across the board, successful people all follow this same pattern. Professional athletes are quick to point out how many hours they spent throwing balls in the backyard, or how they've shot thousands of basketballs, or how they were cut from some team at some point and they are still pissed off. I don't know of any athlete (besides this dude named Barry Bonds), that wanted to brag about all of their most current accomplishments.
Musicians always talk about the dingy bars they started in, and the small crowds they had.
Actors joke about crappy roles they had early on.
Mark Zuckerberg (if Facebook is still a thing when you read this), goes by the title Harvard Drop Out/CEO of Facebook.
Jeff Bezos (founder of Amazon, which I assume runs the world by the time you read this), loves to tell the story of how all he wanted to do was sell books online, and started out packaging them himself on the floor of a warehouse.
Batman started out as a lonely orphan.
Superman started as a weird alien farmboy.
The singer Michael Jackson started as a, uh, super famous child singer, who went on to be a, uh, super famous adult singer. (Ok, some people are just good, but he did still work hard).
One of your Daddy's favorite movies is called the Pursuit of Happiness (look it up). It is about one of my personal heroes, a guy named Chris Gardner, and his struggles from weird X-ray machine salesman, to investment icon. The funny thing is, the movie ends when he gets his FIRST entry level job! They spend a total of 10 seconds putting some words up about how he went on to be successful after a hour and a half of showing him and his son sleeping in bathrooms and begging for work. (BONUS: The actor is this guy named Will Smith who was once the Prince of Bel-Air, and had a similar grind and work ethic in real life).
I tell you all of this for a very simple reason: Just enjoy the Grind. It is the most important part. You have re-taught this very important lesson to me. Maggie just learned how to pedal a bike, and while that is cool, I will remember her determination to try (or to scoot along and say fuck the pedals), more than actually pedaling. Marshall can finally shoot on the big basketball hoop, but I will remember the countless times he threw the ball up and it came back and hit you in the head. Same thing goes for him learning to swim this summer. Maggie finally knows how to drive her Power-Wheels carriage, but watching her crash into everything first was memorable (albeit damaging, and stressful).
Don't play baseball/softball in the backyard because one day you will be in the majors, but because you like playing it in the backyard. Each day you will get better. If you make it to the majors, 1. I am your Dad, so float me a few millions, and 2. Being in the majors will be cool enough, but there will be work to do then too.
Enjoy learning how to read, spell new words, and learn new forms of math and technology. Once it clicks, you will know it forever, and it will be on to the next level.
The work will never quit coming, so don't look too far ahead. No point in rushing through this task, just to get to the next one. Never be satisfied, don't just talk about it, and enjoy that journey and the work. I know I will.
Thanks for reading.
Love,
Dad
I guess your Dad is getting old. I am inspired to write this letter today, because "kids these days", are always going on about "The Grind". Facebook posts, rap songs, Twitter, and Instagram, all have examples of people saying something like "Out here grindin", "Rise and grind", or "Daily Grind". The funny thing is, I don't think many of them know what it means to really work hard, or to take the joy in the work ahead of them each day. I have seen posts, but I have rarely met people who walk up and go "I'm looking forward to doing what I have to today. Ready to GRIND!!". They do want the results, but don't take joy or desire in the day to day tasks at hand. In other words, they aren't like you 2.
If you find yourself starting something in a garage, then you can still say "We're tied with Apple!".
Across the board, successful people all follow this same pattern. Professional athletes are quick to point out how many hours they spent throwing balls in the backyard, or how they've shot thousands of basketballs, or how they were cut from some team at some point and they are still pissed off. I don't know of any athlete (besides this dude named Barry Bonds), that wanted to brag about all of their most current accomplishments.
Actors joke about crappy roles they had early on.
Mark Zuckerberg (if Facebook is still a thing when you read this), goes by the title Harvard Drop Out/CEO of Facebook.
Jeff Bezos (founder of Amazon, which I assume runs the world by the time you read this), loves to tell the story of how all he wanted to do was sell books online, and started out packaging them himself on the floor of a warehouse.
Batman started out as a lonely orphan.
Superman started as a weird alien farmboy.
The singer Michael Jackson started as a, uh, super famous child singer, who went on to be a, uh, super famous adult singer. (Ok, some people are just good, but he did still work hard).
One of your Daddy's favorite movies is called the Pursuit of Happiness (look it up). It is about one of my personal heroes, a guy named Chris Gardner, and his struggles from weird X-ray machine salesman, to investment icon. The funny thing is, the movie ends when he gets his FIRST entry level job! They spend a total of 10 seconds putting some words up about how he went on to be successful after a hour and a half of showing him and his son sleeping in bathrooms and begging for work. (BONUS: The actor is this guy named Will Smith who was once the Prince of Bel-Air, and had a similar grind and work ethic in real life).
Don't play baseball/softball in the backyard because one day you will be in the majors, but because you like playing it in the backyard. Each day you will get better. If you make it to the majors, 1. I am your Dad, so float me a few millions, and 2. Being in the majors will be cool enough, but there will be work to do then too.
Enjoy learning how to read, spell new words, and learn new forms of math and technology. Once it clicks, you will know it forever, and it will be on to the next level.
The work will never quit coming, so don't look too far ahead. No point in rushing through this task, just to get to the next one. Never be satisfied, don't just talk about it, and enjoy that journey and the work. I know I will.
Thanks for reading.
Love,
Dad
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