Be Humble. Stay Hungry. Always Hustle. Sure, these actions highlighted in leadership books like Lomenick's H3 Leadership and Lencioni's The Ideal Team Player, seem simple enough, but finding individuals that possess all three of these qualities can feel a little like trying to find a flying dolphin. 🐬
So why are these characteristics such a rare find in the 21st century? I believe the core cause of this scarcity is based on a disease that has seeped into the heart of middle class America – entitlement. As a previous hegemon, Americans often feel success is a birthright. It is easy to lose sight of the decades of the hard work earlier generations had to invest in order to bring our country to the state of economic influence and stability enjoyed today.
For this reason, Millennials have developed a negative reputation, often portrayed as an indolent generation. The perception that one deserves a high-paying managerial role directly out of college has led to record levels of unemployment among recent graduates. The idea among Millennials that they are entitled to the same standard of living their parents are currently enjoying without years of hard work and financial planning has steered many students into a mountainous debt they will spend much of their lives paying back.
American Millennials are not the only people infected with entitlement. Symptoms of the epidemic can be observed in the everyday decisions of people from every generation across the developed world. When entitlement reigns, a culture emphasizes a grade more than the education it represents, leading to cheating. A salary becomes more important than purposeful work. A title of power becomes more important than graciously leading others. It is evident that when an attitude of entitlement creeps into the roots of a society, it saps life and power from the organization, putting its overall success at a huge risk.
Be Humble + Stay Hungry + Always Hustle
It is only those who are determined to work hard and take initiative who keep society from complete collapse. While it is natural to desire big, notable accomplishments, true leaders do not neglect smaller, daily responsibilities. They do not feel as if menial tasks are "beneath them."
Instead, they seek opportunities to attack their to-do lists with gusto (or as I like to call it, a "to-dominate list"), determined to tackle even the most minuscule task with diligent attention. They adopt the mantra, “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard,” and enjoy a great sense of accomplishment in doing difficult things.
I believe if more individuals were resolved to approach the “daily grind” with a hearty attitude rather than entitlement – they would begin to find that life is full of so much more than making enough money to pay their bills. That hard work itself can be rewarding.
So this year, strive to be the rare flying dolphin that organizations seek, even when others say it's impossible. Be humble, stay hungry, and hustle like there's no tomorrow.