People No Longer Believe Working Hard is the Key to Success

For generations, the social contract promised that if we worked hard, we’d find success. 

Employees could dedicate their lives to a company and reap the rewards of job security, a pension, and social security.

Our grandparents believed in hard work, and their ethic helped build the middle class. Our parents believed in it, enjoying single-family homes in the suburbs and summer BBQs. 

The bargain worked for them, but people today no longer believe working hard is the key to success. 

People No Longer Believe Working Hard is the Key to Success

More and more Americans are starting to realize the harsh truth: The social contract ended a long time ago, and workers are stuck holding the bag. 

Edelman, a world leader in brand reputation, conducts an annual global survey to get a general sense of people’s attitudes about business, government, and industry. 

Edelman’s 2025 Trust Barometer Survey found that:

• 63% feel their job security is threatened by new technologies
• 66% don’t think the wealthy pay their fair share of taxes
• 36% believe the next generation will be better off (30% in the US)
• 65% worry about discrimination (55% in the US)
• 61% have a moderate to high grievance because the system benefits the wealthy (59% in the US)

The data highlights the public’s sentiment about work and success. In general, people feel the system benefits the wealthy, and they worry about job security. 

Social Mobility Declining

Nowhere is the idea that hard work no longer breeds success more apparent than in data on social mobility. 

According to a study by Opportunity Insights, children born in the 1940s had a 90% chance of earning more than their parents. By 1985, it had plummeted to 50%. 

But research and surveys don’t tell the whole story. To get a real feel of whether people believe working hard is the key to success, we must go where the people are: internet forums. 

People Lament About Hard Work Online

Users around the internet complain that hard work doesn’t equal success. They share tales of doing everything right (attending college, earning good grades, etc.) and still being unable to find a job. They tell us about their long working hours and inability to afford rent, and share how one bad boss can derail their entire lives. 

One user shared a meme about Edelman’s 2020 Trust survey, which found that people no longer believe in capitalism or working hard. 

From there, other users shared why they no longer believe hard work leads to success. 

Gen X was the Turning Point

One user pointed out that Gen X was the transitional generation. They embraced the idea that hard work and company loyalty would lead them to comfortable lives, but entered the workforce just as pensions were fading and companies shifted their policies to reflect shareholder primacy. 

“Hearing of what companies USED to do and provide is almost a rite of passage for young Gen X workers back in the day,” said one user. 

“The American Dream was real; we all saw it. Some of us got a taste. For most of us, it was snatched out from underneath us, as it was being preached to us as what we are working for,” added another. 

Hard Work Doesn’t Guarantee Survival

Some users pointed out that working hard no longer guarantees survival, and working hard for a better life is merely a pipe dream. 

It’s no surprise people feel this way. Stagnant wages refuse to keep pace with the rising cost of living, so more and more people opt out of the system that no longer works for them. 

Hard Works Gets You More Work

The adage that hard work breeds success may be untrue, but hard work does tend to get you something else: More work. 

“Work hard, and they will just push more work on you,” stated one user. 

“Why didn’t I get promoted at my last job?” asked another. “I was too good at it,” they answered, implying that companies won’t promote good employees because they won’t be able to replace them. 

“The more of a hard worker you are, the more work companies expect of you,” added a third. 

Working Hard Never Guaranteed Success

Although people no longer believe hard work is the key to success, the truth is it never really was. 

In every generation, millions of people toiled their entire lives with nothing to show for it. People worked for poverty wages in mines, fields, and as domestic laborers. They spent their days in back-breaking labor and barely made enough money to feed their families. 

The idea that hard work equals success was never true for everyone; it was only true in specific circumstances. It still is today. 

Work Hard for Yourself

Although working hard for a company will only get you more work, there are still some avenues where hard work does pay off. 

Owning your own business is one of the only remaining ways to make hard work pay off. 

“If you own your own business, then working hard can help to make that business successful and can lead to great improvements in your own quality of life,” said one user. 

You can control your output and income if you’re the owner. Your hard work will benefit you and your family. It’s worth the sweat and tears. 

However, if you work for a company, your hard work will only serve to enrich the CEO. They won’t return your loyalty or keep their end of the bargain by ensuring a golden retirement. 

Working hard for a company doesn’t seem worth it. 

Work Hard On Yourself

You don’t need to own your own company to make hard work pay off. You can work hard on building your skillset and designing your own career. 

Companies no longer show any loyalty to their employees. They consider human resources to be used and discarded as they see fit. The workers who see their hard work pay off know this harsh reality and make it work for them. They use positions to enhance their skills, then jump ship when a better offer comes along. 

Those who constantly upgrade their skills and design their own careers around growth rather than company loyalty may find that this type of hard work pays off more than the traditional idea of hard work. 

Working Hard When You’re Already Ahead

The idea that working hard leads to success is true – for some people. 

People born into upper-middle-class and wealthy families who work hard will be successful, while those born into middle and lower-middle-class families need a lot more luck for their hard work to pay off. 

Those born into the working and poverty classes will have a lot more difficulty with success, no matter how hard they work. 

The uncomfortable truth is that hard work only guarantees success if your family is already successful. 

The rest of us must try a lot harder and hope things work out in our favor.