Looking Into Your Future Why Working Hard Now Pays Off Later T.H. Bell Counseling Department

Hard Work Pays Take a moment and imagine yourself ten years from now. Think about:  Where will you live?  How will you get around?  What will you eat?  What will you be doing to have fun?  How will you pay for it all?

Finding the Answers We all dream of walking up to our future employer and saying, “Show me the money.” The trouble is, you’d better be ready for your employer to say, “Show me your grades.” Because these days, if you don’t have a good education, the only thing you’ll be shown is the door. Don’t let your dreams stay only dreams. Take steps to make them a reality.

Check This Out What do movie directors, video game creators, fashion designers, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents, marine biologists, Space Shuttle astronauts, brain surgeons, best-selling authors, army generals, cancer researchers, and record producers all have in common? They all have pretty cool jobs. What else? Most finished high school, went to college, and wouldn’t be where they are today without a good education.

But, School is Boring You may think that school is boring – that it’s something you have to get through. But here’s a reality check: You need to do well in school to get the life you want. There are many benefits to doing well in school, but one of the biggest is that students who do well in school often get into good colleges. And college graduates not only get exciting jobs like the ones listed above, they also make lots of money! And, it takes hard work all along the way to get there.

Show Me The Money How much money? Just look at the following table. The average college graduate earns about $48,000 a year compared to the average high school dropout who makes about $16,000

Prove It

Look at It This Way Annual Income

So, What’s the Difference? Put another way: The average college graduate makes three times more than the average high school dropout – or about $32,000 more a year. That’s the difference between driving a new convertible sports car to work and riding your bike. VS.

Well, How Do I Get There?  Use your time in class to work.  Ask questions or ask for help if you need it.  Keep caught up on assignments.  Turn your work in on- time.  Use your calendar to keep track of assignments, due dates, and test dates.

The End You get out of school exactly what you put into it. If you don’t work hard you won’t learn the things you may need to know to get a satisfying career. If you work hard, you will succeed in school, and that will pay off in your future.