In my late 30s, still doing it. I don’t expect to be rewarded though, I just want to toil away without being a dick to people around me.

30s. Earning well, no issues yet.

Being good to the people around me and those in my community isn’t an act. It’s just how I feel I should be.

I now work on projects I’m passionate about, and spent years prior swinging a tool.

Everyone’s path is different. I was lucky, but I didn’t act a certain way because I was trying to put up an act. It’s just how I conduct myself.

Sadly, not until the late nineties.

As a kid I somehow figured I could be both a world famous Hollywood actress and a stay at home mom at the same time. And achieve all of that by like 20.

I mean at least one of these things happened temporarily but not until my late 20s.

Not yet. I’m still a college student and need good employer letters of recommendation.

My plan is when I graduate is get offers from a bunch of companies, and then start a bidding war among them.

I was 21yo. I am thankful mandatory internships taught me that much.

1st internship at 20yo. Completed 2 full-fledged programming projects in 8 weeks, while I was supposed to complete 1 project in the entire 10 weeks. Spent the last 2 weeks unboxing and reboxing hundreds of products all day. Was paid 500€/month (minimum legally required). Worked my ass off from 8am until 18am. No one ever invited me to go for lunch with them. Boss treated me like an idiot. He once shouted at me at 8am because he didn’t like my handshake and I didn’t smile, I didn’t look motivated and grateful enough to his liking.

2nd internship. 4 months long. Still paid the 500€/month minimum. Did my job alright, completed the tasks that were given to me and nothing more. Spent most of every Fridays just chatting with coworkers and drinking coffee. “Oh, it’s 15:55 already! I better pack my things and leave”. They loved me, told me they will have a position for me after I finish my studies. Colleagues offered me presents on my last day.

3rd and last internship. Applied the same principles. They offered me a job starting at 54k€/year (as a reference, other offers I got at the time maxed at 34k€/year).

I am thankful for this lesson. Be nice and socialize. Just do your job well with the time your are paid for and absolutely nothing extra. I have been nothing but successful in my career so far :)

P.S: all internships were in different companies

At 15, on my first job. There were 3 others in the same position. I finished first, perfectly, while they goofed off. Told the manager, all excited. She had me clean out a closet while I waited for the others to catch up. It was a real defining moment.

I thought I learned it in the army. Then I thought I learned it in college. Then the VA actually taught me the lesson.

Still trying to fully realise this.

Let you know when it happens.

For the most part the more active and nicer you are the happier you will be. Yeah yeah you get taken advantage of, you know the same result if you are a lazy asshole.

Your insurance company is going to deny your claim, your stuff is going to break down, you will be ripped off, you will be injured, you will be robbied, and eventually you will die. All of this stuff will happen in your existence and there is fuck all you can do about it.

What you can do is stay active and stay giving. You can surround yourself with people who very much want you to be happy in life and your happiness almost completely depends on it.

So go ahead and make your decision. Do you want to pass judgement on a world that doesn’t care what you think about it and rot with whatever pathetic little you have or do you want deep connections and a lifetime of achievement.

Pretty damn old. I’m too embarrassed to say.

Around 16 or 17. I was already aware that “studying hard” was bullshit by 13, which made my grades fall from 90-100% to just passing, which in turn led to lots of complaining from my mom until I finished high school.

Way too old.