Understanding appreciation
Don’t mistake appreciation of your hard work to appreciation for (the quality of) your work…
These are very different!
Hard work is one of the possible ingredients that could go into bringing forth great work… It is neither a necessary condition…. And definitely not a sufficient condition!
When your boss comes and tells you he appreciates you for your hard work, it does not necessarily mean that he appreciates your work. The converse is also true!
If you are one of those that works hard and is bitter with your boss because he criticizes (the quality of) your work, chances are there will be more people that you will end up being bitter with.
Be objective in self rating. Let not self sympathy stemming from your hard work cloud your view of what you actually produced. And definitely let not your lens be shaded with your fervent hope that everyone around you should have been taking notice of your hard work and are therefore required to appreciate what ever you produce…
Appreciation for your hard work has a tragically short lifespan and an even smaller field of view.
Appreciation for your work on the other hand could outlive you and be far reaching…
Focus therefore, on your work…. If hard work is required for your work to be great, so be it!
