Through Hardships to the Stars said Seneca. Though said long ago, these words still ring true. All outcomes of importance are a consequence of commitment, devotion & hard work to reach the desired result. You cannot just visualize success & go and eat a sandwich. The hunger for success must necessarily be followed by loads & loads of hard work.
Look at all the success stories of today. You will find solid, hard work underlying the achievements. A great example is Elon Musk, who puts in at least 80 hours of work every single week, & is known to make over 120 hours sometimes. Why? Musk puts it this way: “Nobody changes the world working 40-hours a week” Bill Gates is on record saying he never took a day off in his 20s. Look at the work ethic of these people: Jeff Bezos put in 12-hour working days during Amazon’s early days and did this 7-days per week; Venus & Serena Williams woke up early to play tennis before school & came back after school for their second session; Tim Cook is the first person in the offices of Apple & the last one to leave; Michael Jordan’s insane work ethic is why he is such a legend now, according to his coach Phil Jackson; Kobe Bryant would practice his basketball skills every hour of the day. . The same is true for Virat Kohli or Jasprit Bumrah. Recently Narayan Murthy & SN Subramaniam caught a lot of flack talking about 70 & 90 hour work-weeks. While “staring at wife’ argument of SNS was grossly misplaced, the part about working hard is indeed right. When the objective is laudable & large, it demands contributions far beyond the ordinary.
Hard work is fundamental in tracking down & perfecting a strategy or in executing it. All the success stories we admire in every field, whether it is Dr Abdul Kalam or Dr Hamid of Cipla were legendary in their commitment. They intuitively understood that while talent is important, hard work beats talent every time that talent does not work hard!! These people understood that Luck is great, but most of life is Hard Work. Most successful people’ working hours are far above the average work hours of people. That itself should tell us about the positive correlation between hard work & success. Unless you are born into money like Akash & Isha, {the twins from Mukesh Ambani, who just come back from studies abroad to become head of the Reliance Jio and Retail & e-Commerce businesses of the Reliance group, respectively} the road to success is hard work. They might have directly landed at the top of the corporate heap, but the legacy of hard working Dhirubhai and Mukesh will ensure that they have to prove themselves to remain where they are. Mukesh himself is described as an “inscrutable man” who prefers to maintain a low profile. But the way he has grown the Reliance empire after a breakup with his brother Anil is a testimony to his focus & efforts.
In another familial succession, look at the example of Kumar Mangalam Birla, who was thrust into leadership after Aditya Birla died of cancer. Talk to any AVB group employee & be regaled with stories of the dedication & commitment of KM. He not only led from the front, but ensured the AVB Group scaled new heights, standing tall today at a market cap of over $ 100 Billion. KM led their foray into very diverse businesses which include metals, cement, fashion, retail, financial services, renewables, fibre, textiles, chemicals, real estate, trading, mining & entertainment. He gets by with just 6 hours of sleep. There are not enough hours in the day for KM, who regularly finds himself in the office on a Saturday, buried under work. Work usually spills into part of his Sunday, leaving only a shred of the weekend for his wife and children. The story is similar for Shiv & Roshni Nadar, Azim & Rishab Premji, Rohit Jawa MD, Unilever India & other senior professionals today. In other words, the more hours you put in, the faster you get where you want to go.
We must remember Marcus Aurelius, “The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.” Modern Instagram entrepreneurs advertise the possibility of working 4-hour work-weeks, whilst living in a big mansion including a swimming pool & a brand new Ferrari in the garage. But is that truthful? Can you work 4-hour weeks & earn an income that’s far beyond average? See what Gary Vaynerchuk, US Entrepreneur & Social Media Moghul, says : Working 19 hours a day every day for the last 20 years has been easy for me because it’s the only gear I ever knew. I sucked at school so it was my only option. Not everyone needs to become a billionaire or change the world & work 80+ hour weeks. But everyone must figure out what success means to them. And when you know what success means to you, create your life around that.
However, to benefit from the value of hard work, there’s another important element to look at. Smart Work. You see, working hard without working smart is like hitting a nail with your fist instead of using a hammer. You might go very hard at it, but the process will take much longer. Besides, you may end with a bleeding fist! Let’s understand smart & hard work with an example. You work in a field & grow crops for a living. You put in long hours & water & nurture the crops every day. But when the time comes to collect the fruits of your labor, there are no grown plants nor fruits. You worked so hard at it, that you didn’t notice that you planted too many crops. And none of these caught enough sunlight to grow & give you the fruits of your hard labor. It feels frustrating when you put so many hours into a task and do not get the anticipated results – despite learning something in the process!! Your neighbor farmer is smarter, but lacks work ethic. He planted his seeds more thoughtfully so that seeds could catch enough sunlight. Yet, he failed to nurture the crops every day & the crops died in the process. In conclusion, you need both to work hard & work smart. Working hard isn’t a great strategy on its own. Being thoughtful about your work is as important as working hard.
Per Aspera ad Astra. You can reach the stars if you stretch & reach out. But no one says it will be easy. Be prepared for the stretch & difficulties, for your goal will demand sacrifices. I end with a quote I love but whose origin I forget. It is no less true because of my lapse.
“Stranger think long before you enter/For these corridors amuse not passing travelers. /But if you enter, keep your voice to yourself,/Nor should you tinkle or toll your tongue,/These columns rose not, for the such as you./But for those urgent pilgrim feet that wander/On lonely ways, seeking the roots of rootless trees ” Enjoy the journey: vikitraveller
Vikasblog 
For people like us there is no alternative to hard work, whatever qualifications we possess. Lucky are those who are gifted wealth, if that is the measure of success.
I place satisfaction of achievement through honest means, above all.
You have very succinctly captured the essence of endeavour.
Keep writing. God bless !
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Jayant
thanks for your comments.
Indeed Corporate India is blessed that we middle class managers always worked far beyond working hours. Unlike the French or US we were always working far beyond the clock as we looked at the work to be done and never looked at the clock. I must also accept that companies looked after their star contributors and what we lost in comp & benefits we made up in prestige, recognition & reputation And we continued happily.
I see that today’s gen is far more focused on equitable returns on one side and free/personal time for own pursuits on the other hand.
I believe in all this the market and companies will find a Golden Mean
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Great piece. I would say a timely one as well since the working hours debate still shimmer whenever any related topic comes up on social media – the recent one was the comments from Piyush Goyal on start ups and Harsh Goenka’s post on that referring to also Narayan Murthy’s 70 hours. Sir, your post has so well explained the concept of hard work and that what it actually means. The hard work and smart work are such good examples that we can quote in any discussion on the subject seeking further clarity. Two points from my side and I conclude on my take on the post : (a) You mentioned more than once that you need to put such hard work more when you are at the building stage of the foundation part of the pyramid of success. Taking a corollary to the same I would say our country is also at the same stage of building the foundational part of it’s ascent to the club of developed nations and it becomes relevant for all of us countrymen to put up such hard/smart work and efforts in this early stage Nation building(we have more than one case in China, South Korea, Japan, Singapore Vietnam and all) . (b) Your reference to the ethical part also is very relevant if one has to sell the idea to the masses and take them along this journey of hard work. There has to be a reasonable income sharing in the system otherwise one feels cheated that such hard work is put to the benefits of a few – the increasing disparity in income between top management and the middle and lower echelon of the corporate is one such. A CEO getting >20 % hike every year but ensuring the average increase never crosses 6 to 8 %. With such disparity never the fruits will be realized and never the journey could remain sustainable. Great read 👍
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Kabir
thanks for your comment
Unfortunately we had some health challenges in the extended family and so i could not reply earlier.
So here goes now;
You are so right to take the concept of hard work and laying the foundation to the issue of nation building Examples you give are very relevant In my JnJ role when I travelled in AsPac my heart bled to see SGP, MY, Korea development. Even Vietnam & Burma has better infrastructure than us. As Indians we are far smarter. But they have taken their country’s development to very diff levels. While we are still languishing far behind Why? because we want easy solutions without effort. JP was totally demolished after WW II. Yes They got lot of US AID but the main factor was the pride of their country embedded in every heart and the Japanese Culture of Hard Work. Resultantly see where they are today. The earlier we learn from tthese examples and pull up our boot strings the better for us as a country.
The second point you madeabout pay disparities is also very valid. Unethical andyet fundaamental. Somewhere I had read the pay disparity ( Ratio of lowest paid employee to highest paid employee) is the HIGHEST in Usa and India also features very hih on the list. No of Multi BIllionaires in India are disproportionately high compared to Europe. The Pay Parity is possibly best in Japan. When narayan Moorthys and SN Subramaniams of Corporate India talk of 70 and 90 hours work week, They should see what an average L&T employees is paid v/s the salary SNS takes home. Moorthy started as a startup entrepreneur. But today’s Infosys employees have joined on a contract….so many rupees for so many hours of work, weekly Offs. Holidays. Perks etc. Midway how can Moorthy talk of 70 hours? You remember Siemens had 36 hours work week in HO and 21 holidays. When we reduced holidays and increased working hours, we paid for that reductio/addition. Moorthy & SNS have nothing to give. They only want. Is this ethical? Is it being done with integrity? Mere talk of Customer Focus and Projects imp to the nation is not fair. Bonusesand Stock Options put CEOs and seniors in a diffrent league while the average employee is still on Housing Loans and Car Purchase EMIs. How can this be sustainable in log run??
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Vikas dada,
I fully agree with every word in your post – there is indeed no alternative to hard work! Well written, as usual.
“Working hard isn’t a great strategy on its own. Being thoughtful about your work is as important as working hard.” – This line captures the essence beautifully. It is important to put deep thought and innovation into one’s work – working mindlessly, even if for 70 hours per week, is not going to cut it.
But one cannot jump to “smart work” without first doing the “hard work”!! Just as you cannot ensure that the cook at your home churns out delicious and nutritious meals without getting your own hands dirty with her in the kitchen, you cannot get to “smart” work without first having exhausted the “dumb”, grunt work 🙂
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Nilu
thanks for your comments And your words of encouragement. As always.
By hard work I mean not just the grunt work but work with focus, dedication & commitment. When you devote yourself to the task, invariably the work and process will talk to you and itself suggest innovations and smart working. I think these are 2 sides of the coin of Success : Hard Work & Smart Work.
My struggle with the present Gen is that they want to avoid getting their hands dirty. They hope by standing under the tree the fruits will fall by themselves. They forget the planting and nurturing till the fruit ripens and then the peeling and cutting the fruit before partaking it. That just does not go away. But aaj ke bacchon ko Dirtying Ones Hands ka mahatva kab samze ge kaun jaane
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Dear Vikas,
You have beautifully explained the contribution of hard work in success. I have seen you putting in long long hours in the office. So this is not just theoretical advice but the one which you have lived yourself !
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Thanks Raju for your kind words
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Vikas,
The narrative around “Per Aspera Ad Astra” – through hardship to the stars – is a compelling one, and you seem to be making a strong case for its relevance. It highlights the work ethic of figures like Elon Musk, Bill Gates, S N Subramanian (of L&T), N R Narayana Murthy (of Infosys) and others, painting a picture where success is directly proportional to hours clocked. However, this narrative, while inspiring to some, is incomplete and potentially harmful. It glorifies a culture of overwork, ignores the role of privilege, and overlooks the very real possibility of achieving significant success through alternative paths.
You briefly acknowledge the “Akash & Isha” scenario, those born into privilege. Yet, you quickly dismiss it by suggesting they still need to “prove themselves.” This downplays the massive head start inherited wealth and connections provide. It’s a fallacy to assume a level playing field.
In today’s world, I can’t counter your narrative without citing the example of Google.
Google’s success exemplifies the four principles that challenge the “Per Aspera Ad Astra” narrative, showcasing how innovation and success can thrive without glorifying personal adversity.
1. Collaboration Over Individual Struggle
Google fosters collaboration across teams and disciplines. For example, the development of Google Brain involved partnerships between researchers, engineers, and product teams, creating breakthroughs in AI by pooling expertise rather than relying on individual effort.
2. Systemic Support Matters
Google’s infrastructure and culture provide unparalleled systemic support. Initiatives like the 20% Time Policy empower employees to pursue innovative projects, such as Gmail and Google Maps, with access to resources and freedom to experiment.
3. Leveraging Existing Foundations
Many of Google’s innovations build on preexisting technologies. For instance, Google Pay (GPay), which became a runaway success in India, was created by repurposing components from its infrastructure, demonstrating how incremental improvements can lead to transformative products.
4. Embrace Failure — “Fail Fast”
Google embraces failure as part of its innovation strategy, learning from setbacks like Google Glass and Google+. This culture of experimentation prioritizes systemic learning over individual hardship.
Google’s success underscores that collaboration, systemic advantages, leveraging existing tools, and embracing failure can achieve remarkable results without creating a false narrative around work hours or glorifying struggle.
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MSP
Yes i do make a strong case for Hard work. But it would be wrong to understand this merely as Hours put it. I think commitment, dedication and Focus are equally a part of any “hard” work. Pari Passu, success is about work, taking you over the finish line, and ensuring that you achieve the results you set out for and fulfill your goals. For that to happen “Hard Work” will be a sine qua non.
Your example of Google is well illustrated. But where am I saying that collaboration and culture ( systemic support) are not necessary. In today’s times no one is an individual worker. For contributions to happen it is always team work and collaboration which will bring home the bacon. But in team work, someone has to take ownership and drive the project FW That is what I mean by hard work So any and every large endeavour is a team work and effort is required for success, you will agree.
Are you saying to make GPay and “repurposing infrastructre” no work was required? Did it just happen? Even serenditicious discoveries and innovations requre work to polish them up, make them work ( oh again that word you despise!!) and bring it to the market. Any new development does need a push to get acceptance.
I was fortunate to be trained in IDEO in London who were the first in Rapid Protyping and Failing Fast. So you are preaching to the converted. But again after failing fast and innovating and ironing out the kinks, any new product or service requires someone to stich it together, make it successful and launch it. All hard work IMHO
All in all I feel we are arguing on the same side
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Dear Vikas Sir,
I am utterly impressed and inspired by your latest blog, ‘Per aspera Ad Astra’! Your eloquent and insightful writing has once again left me in awe. The way you’ve woven together the threads of hard work, passion, and perseverance is truly remarkable.
Your choice of role models, including Mukesh Ambani, Elon Musk, and Kumar Mangalam Birla, is fascinating, and their stories serve as powerful testaments to the transformative power of hard work. The accompanying images of quotes by Mahatma Gandhi, Jeff Bezos, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Sophocles, and Virat Kohli add a wonderful touch, making the blog a visual treat as well.
I particularly resonated with your thoughts on the importance of hard work over talent. Your assertion that ‘Luck is great, but most of life is Hard Work’ is a timely reminder that success is rarely a result of chance, but rather the culmination of dedicated effort and perseverance.
Moreover, your emphasis on the crucial role of passion in making hard work enjoyable and sustainable is spot on. As you so aptly put it, without passion, hard work can become a drudgery.
Please accept my heartfelt congratulations on crafting a blog that is both informative and inspiring. Your writing is a testament to your own hard work and dedication to sharing valuable insights with others.
Once again, thank you for sharing your wisdom and motivating us to strive for excellence!
Keep Blogging , if possible Vlog too!
Passionately
Karthi
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Karthik
many thanks for your kind words
keep reading and encouraging me and I will certainly keep writing if there are readers like you who feel I am adding some value
we are from the generation where hard work was indeed glorified
but alongwith it, we learnt discipline and stick-it-iveness and I believe that is what made us successful
It is a far cry from today’s employees who are looking to do the min to get by rather than focussing on what is max possible.anyway to each his own
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I (as always) have a slightly different perspective. While I agree that working hard is important I would not so much agree that it should be for long hours but rather with focus, dedication and a desire to make a difference when one is working. Often people work for long hours at the cost of their family and personal time and health. The tasks rarely end and the organisation can and will move forward without you while your family keeps missing you. So working hard for me is working within a defined limit with focus and dedication and most importantly slowing down as one grows older to stop and smell the roses before it is too late
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Preeti
agree with your point
i am not glorifying hard work as more time on job
to me hard work is taking the assignment seriously. giving it your best effort, and working with commitment and dedication
That is why I am talking of Smart work + Hard Work
Work Life balance is a see-saw
it can never be in perfect equilibrium for long
Thanks for your comment
really worth thinking through
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Dear Vikas,
Your latest blog beautifully captures the essence of success—how a perfect blend of hard work and effort shapes one’s journey. You have provided very elaborate and illustrative examples of successful people and the key reasons behind their achievements, making the message even more impactful.
Your insights highlight that while hard work is essential, leveraging smart effort leads to more productive results than relying solely on hard work or luck.
Congratulations on another thought-provoking piece! Looking forward to more such insightful writings from you. Keep inspiring!
Best regards,
Harish Guttikar
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Harish many many thanks for your kind words
It always feels good to hear from a fellow compatriot and traveler who has similar experiences
I often remind myself of Edison who said Work is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration
the %ages may vary in today’s times when drudgery and manual effort is mostly out of our work, with the advent of machines to help us
but every achievement does require both Hard Work & Commitment and Smart Work, ideas and inspiration
Hard + Smart work is indeed the key to success
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You’ve beautifully summarized the importance of striking a balance between working hard and working smart. It’s not an either-or situation, but rather a both-and approach.
Working hard provides the effort and dedication needed to achieve goals, while working smart provides the strategy, efficiency, and effectiveness required to achieve those goals sustainably.
By combining both, you can:
Thanks for sharing your insightful thoughts – Pravin Mahadevan
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Pravin
beautifully put sir
indeed not an either-or situation but an both/and approach
the base is working on your goals
and hard & smart are keys to open doors
you really caught the gist what I wanted to convey
thanks for your encouragement
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Nothing great is achieved without hard work. Of course, it also depends on one’s purpose in life and what we want to achieve. Having said that, good luck and destiny also go a long way in creating opportunities for achievement. Thanks for sharing this inspiring blog, wonderfully penned as usual
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Col
I agree luck ka saath imp hai
but luck also favours the brave
Lying below a tree hoping the mango falls in your mouth may make for a long long wait
efforts prime you for success
smart working gives you a push in the right direction
and then luck can take you FW in the last mile
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Vikas you have incisively touched many minds with practicality and a non nonsense style.Hard work comes also with a price and as someone quipped with his son who shied away from hard work often “hard work never killed anyone” with the son retorting”Papa I don’t want to be the first.
The work life balance must be maintained with a healthy life style too
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Marcel my friend
Thanks for your comment
Today’s Gen is more on smart working and really do not believe in hard work
but I do believe hard work lays the foundation for success
Hard work helps you open the mine
and smart working helps you get the gold out most efficiently
we require both in today’s times
Work Life Balance is a tricky one though
I think the required balance changes at diffrent stages of ones career and age
I think perfect Life & work balance is a chimera
you may keep pursuing and it keeps running further away
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