As a junior preparing for college, something I always hear until my ears start bleeding is that the process is worthless unless the result is recognizable. No matter how much effort I put into competitions, it is ultimately my achievements that are recorded in my resume. No matter how much I pour my heart into my college application, if I don’t get into the school, that’s the end of it. Being able to achieve my goals with minimal effort is the best thing that could happen to me. Yet, amidst the shouts of adults pushing this thought into my head, I begin to wonder: will the prestige I have achieved through little effort be worth it in the long run?
Since the emergence of AI, I have seen a cultural decrease in the value of effort. Nowadays, when students get homework, the first thing they do is plug their prompts into ChatGPT instead of thinking for themselves. Although students may rejoice at their work being done for them by putting their prompts in AI, it is essential to realize that, in the long run, this practice is detrimental to their work ethic.
The purpose of homework and tests isn’t to put us through unnecessary work — it’s to let us experience the formula of putting in the work to achieve what we want. I know I won’t be using calculus in my adulthood, but sitting in front of my desk for hours doing calculations and incorporating what I learned into my solutions has given me a preview of what working full-time would look like. Through this process, I can discover my work preferences and how I manage my time, which is a skill that I will continue to need as a college student and an employee.
However, in America, there is a cultural prioritization of the result over the process. In this fast-moving capitalist society, people struggle to secure their socioeconomic status. According to Fast Company, 54.5% of full-time employees “have increased concerns about their job security.” Therefore, people eagerly jump on the opportunity to achieve their goals, especially if it guarantees an easy way up. After all, when a hiring manager looks at resumes, it’s the achievements that he will look at, not the effort put in. But in the long run, will the prestige achieved through little effort be of worth when I get the job? My lack of knowledge will soon be exposed next to my colleagues, and it will only be a matter of time before I get fired.
When the fruit of success is right in front of us, it’s hard to resist snatching it up without much discretion. Yet, every fruit needs time and care to grow. The orchardist has to plant the seeds, water them, and fend off hungry animals until the tree grows tall and the fruits are ripe. In this sense, everyone has their own orchard. It is only through dedication and persistence that we can reach our goal in its best form.
It may be frustrating to face the unexpected mistakes that come with grappling through our work. However, failures act as our greatest teachers. Each blunder that we come across on our trail to success acts to teach us about what we could improve upon, and eventually — with the wisdom we obtained — we find ourselves improving in a way that could never be achieved without nurturing the orchard.
