Stay Hungry. Stay Humble. And Always Be the Hardest Worker in the Room

It was 6:30 p.m

I was running on four hours of sleep, walking into a two-and-a-half-hour data analytics class taught by a professor who made spreadsheets feel like lullabies.

All I wanted was to go home, pour a glass of bourbon, and fall asleep during the NBA playoffs.

At the time, I was nearly two years into my part-time MBA. I had taken it on while working full-time as Director of Graduate Support at a middle school for low-income boys. I was committed to completing the program in two years, at the same pace as the full-time program.

Many times, including that night, I questioned everything.

I was making $55,000, trying to save for an engagement ring, deep in student loan debt, and holding onto a belief that it would all be worth it. What was I doing this for?

I didn’t have a perfect answer. But I kept showing up.

I believed that if I worked hard, kept learning, and gave it everything I had, something good would come of it.

And it did.

Finishing that MBA turned out to be one of the best decisions of my career. Not just because of what it added to my resume, but because it taught me something important: I could handle more than I thought.

That realization has stayed with me through every challenge since.

The Value of Hard Work

There’s a quote from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson that sits on my desk:

I think about it often.

Achieving something meaningful takes effort. Effort usually means sacrifice. And sacrifice means choosing what matters most, especially when it's inconvenient.

Hard work isn’t about working nonstop or burning yourself out. It’s about what you prioritize, how you present yourself, and whether you persevere when things are tough.

To me, hard work looks like:

• Caring about the quality of what you produce

• Doing more than what’s asked

• Solving problems before they become issues

• Sticking with something even when it’s difficult or thankless

Your Reputation Is Earned

A few years ago, the trend of “quiet quitting” took off. People were doing only what their job required, nothing more. Sorry, but it drove me crazy!

I get it. Many people are tired, underpaid, and feel like their extra effort doesn’t matter. Those feelings are valid.

But I’ve found that doing the bare minimum rarely leads to new opportunities. And the truth is, it’s not your company that remembers your work. It’s the people around you.

Every opportunity I’ve had since college came from someone who trusted me to do the job well. Not because I was the smartest. Because I had proven I would follow through.

As your responsibilities grow, that trust becomes even more important.

Work Is an Investment in Yourself

You don’t need to grind for the sake of it. And you don’t owe your company everything.

But you do owe it to yourself to help you achieve your long-term goals.

Work hard because it builds confidence. Work hard because it strengthens your reputation. Work hard because you know where you want to go.

Stay hungry. Stay humble. And always be the hardest worker in the room.

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