"Opportunities looks a lot like work" "Hello America, There are some things I want to talk to you about today, and some things I really, really donāt want to talk to you about today. I donāt want to talk about politics. I donāt want to talk about the President. I donāt really even want to talk about Washington. What matters most right now is what you are doing with your life in your own community. Over the past few years, Iāve been blessed to have the opportunity to travel all over the country and halfway around the world. Iāve met amazing people and seen some of the most beautiful places on earth. But in recent months, Iāve chosen to spend my free time with my family at our ranch in the Mountain West. Why? Because I know now, as a man and as a dad, how important it is to teach my kids the value of hard work; to teach them about the values that our parents and our grandparents grew up with - it didnāt have anything to do with video games or smart phones. Just a few weeks ago, TheBlaze published its biggest story of all time with 4.3 million views. It wasnāt about a national scandal, a terrorist attack, or an election. It was Ashton Kutcher, of all people, standing in front of a bunch of teenagers at the Teen Choice Awards talking about the importance of hard work: āWhen I was 13, I had my first job with my dad carrying shingles up to the roof, and then I got a job washing dishes at a restaurant, and then I got a job in a grocery store deli, and then I got a job at a factory sweeping Cheerio dust off the ground,ā Kutcher said. āAnd Iāve never had a job in my life that I was better than. I was always just lucky to have a job. And every job I had was a stepping stone to my next job, and I never quit my job until I had my next job. And so opportunities look a lot like work.ā Iāve thought a lot about why this message resonated so much with our audience, and hereās what Iāve concluded: Human beings are wired to understand the value of hard work, but millions of Americans have been seduced by a āfree stuffā society. People are desperate for someone, anyone, to speak the truth ā especially to our youngsters. The āleadersā in Washington, D.C. have grown accustomed to merely offering more free candy than the other guy. For example, does anyone think two years of unemployment benefits is a good idea? Will opportunity really find you after 99 weeks on the couch? Of course not. But not many people are willing to say it. Thatās why Ashtonās message went viral ā it was truth. A truth society desperately needs. As parents, we have to understand the culture around us. The things we grew up understanding ā hard work, diligence, persistence ā are not what Americaās current crop of youngsters are being taught. Equal stuff, āfairnessā, trophies-for-all, and political correctness are, sadly, the new standard bearers. As parents, we have to understand this cultural change and lead the charge against it. I know this isnāt easy. Our kids are growing up learning about the āfree (and equal) stuffā society, while simultaneously living with so many conveniences we went without. It sometimes feels impossible to get them to understand that these things didnāt just appear out of thin air. Someoneās blood, sweat, tears, failures ā and HARD WORK ā made it happen. AdvertisementI grew up working in my dadās bakery and, in the summers, on my grandfatherās farm. They taught me the value of hard work, honesty, and decency. My dad worked his tail to the bone. And because I saw him working so hard every day, I strove to share that work ethic. And because of that work ethic, my family changed. My family has more opportunities. Because of my fatherās work ethic, I have opportunities that he didnāt have. Because of my work ethic, my children have opportunities that I didnāt have. Iām away from my children an awful lot because I work an awful lot, but I donāt work more than you do. I work 12 hours a day and then I come home. I try to be at home for dinner with my kids. I try to be home on weekends. Sometimes I canāt, but Iām trying to be better at it. Weāre reading our scriptures together, and weāre telling stories together. Weāre spending more time together as a family. But on days like today, days where I am fortunate enough not to have to work and I can spend time with my family, Iāve decided we, as a family, are going to be at the ranch because, frankly, when we are there, we donāt have much of a choice but to do things as a family. I can get them away from electronics, which arenāt inherently bad ā but how often do we spent too much time on our phones instead of actually engaging with people? How easy is it to send a text message or an e-mail rather than pick up the phone or walk downstairs? How easy is it to turn on video games or the TV, rather than talk to our kids at the table about their day and what they learned. We have got to get back to the things that have value. We have to teach our kids about work ethic and what matters. We have to make them go outside and play in the dirt with rocks and sticks and imagination, not waste their day on mindless video games that kill creativity and disconnect them from reality. We have got to interact on a human level, not a digital one. Today, I want you to try a little experiment that I have been doing with my own family. Turn off the video games and computer while the kids are awake. Donāt rely on electronics for your entertainment ā rely on one another. At dinner, weāre reading our scriptures together and weāre talking. After we clean everything up, weāre playing games. Weāre doing these small things, and yet Iāve already seen a change in my own family. Another thing we are doing is making sure everything our family consumes is something positive. Iāve put together about thirty songs that are positive and hopeful, and Iām playing them around the house. If you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, change your attitude. Thatās what we are trying to do. If you want people to follow you ā donāt be angry, bitter, and frustrated. No one looks at that type of person and says, āI want to be like that.ā Be grateful. Be joyful. Be a blessing to others. But most importantly, lead by example. If we want to raise a generation that understands the value of hard work, we must begin the hard work at home. And make no mistake, we face an uphill climb. If you donāt believe me, after you are done reading this go get an ice-cream sandwich out of the freezer and ask your child if theyād rather: A) Eat it right now, free of charge OR B) Take a bath, clean the dishes, pick up the toys, and do their homework so they can earn the snack Is it an uphill battle? You bet. But it is a battle we can WIN because we are on the side of truth. It all starts at home, and it all starts with YOU. Hereās to the next generation of Americans ā may they understand that opportunity looks a lot like hard work. God Bless, Glenn Beck"
Posted on: Thu, 05 Sep 2013 15:44:02 +0000
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