Hard work

I've never understood what hard work actually is, because there are many different interpretations of it and it's wildly different for different people. I hear people say they worked so hard and it led them to success. They say they used to clean toilets or work hundreds of hours per week (in the US), and they usually bring up these examples as the cause of their success. I think it's all valid as long as they are truly being honest and reasonable, because there are always examples of people living in poor countries like South Sudan, Yemen, or Somalia. I really don't think they work any less hard than those who are claiming their hard work is what made them successful. They just have bad life circumstances, bad luck, and a lack of opportunities, which is outside of their control.

It's not that it's bad to get credit for your hard work. I think it only crosses the line when someone overestimates how much their effort contributed to their success. Honest, smart people acknowledge all the factors that contributed to their success, such as luck and being born in a good country, and they understand that they are not special. They respect others, and they understand that other people may have far worse life circumstances and that arrogantly telling them how hard you worked is very disrespectful.