Why “Work Smart, Not Hard” Is Wrong (with Mike Rowe)

My grandpa was a welder and took pride in his work. It's sad to see our careers losing their luster. I'm nearing 45 and thinking about the next 15 years, this is a reminder to address my fears now, particularly the financial ones. It's unrealistic to expect that 15 more years in a 9-5 job will fix those fears when I'm 60 and retired

I worked with a retired teacher. He told me “education is a great thing but it doesn’t hurt to know how to weld”.

I was always told Work Smarter Not Harder. Which I was told meant that when your working hard, be smarter about the work your doing. Be efficient in your work.

"We need more philosophers who can run an even bead." That's a beautiful statement, Mike!

I went to college for four years. At 50 years old, I am a painter, a roofer, a plumber, a mechanic, a husband and a father. I never should have gone to school without a solid plan.

Rule #1. Don't ever take advice from somebody who ended up being a high school guidance counselor.

We had a critical part break. This part is no longer available. The computer tappers were at a complete loss. My coworker, looked at it and fabricated a replacement from scratch in one day and returned the equipment to service. This person, no vocational school, no degree. Just a smart and talented individual.

35yrs ago dropped outta college stumbled into being a mechanic. Working for a county bus company for 27yrs at top pay, making 6 figures with bennies & pension. Working on cutting edge tech daily. I am blessed

It never ceases to amaze me how words can be misconstrued to fit an agenda. The origin of 'Work smarter, not harder ' refers to utilizing the full scope of tools available to you (both intellectual tools and physical tools) to achieve a goal while doing so with the least amout of stress.

25 years old male here. Never went to trade school, never went to college. Got a blue collar job clearing $110,000 a year starting off with no experience or certifications nor did a “buddy” help me get the job. I travel the entire country & everyday at work is an adventure. It comes at a cost though. I work 70+ hour a week & the work is laborious, but I love every moment & I am so proud. I have no bills & save every dollar. Yes, to be successful you have to do things you don’t want to. Not everything is about you, your comfort, or your rights. You have to sacrifice.

I went to community college for 2 years took the diesel technology program and I'm 30 years old now making 75k a year and love my job, and soon I'll be making 100k a year. No student loan debt, love my job, and I work smarter not harder as a diesel technician, diagnosing and repairing heavy duty trucks

Mike Rowe is beautifully eloquent and clear in his message.

Military, hvac school, became a utility worker. Zero debt & been making over 200k for the passed 10 years. Zero debt. My wife a lawyer with loads of debt and does not make what I make. I love my career and plan to retire at 55 to manage my properties. My friends with degrees are in/out of work, some still live at home bc of debt.

Yes. It's "Work smart AND hard".

Taken in the context of what that poster represented at that time I agree with Mike's take on it. I graduated high school in 1980. I scored high in both SAT & ASVAB tests, but like Mike, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I loved working with my hands and technical things but being an engineer also appealed to me. I ended up going to tech school for electronics which led me by chance to a lifelong career in appliance repair, 30 years of that as a service manager making good money. My dad, who was a truck driver his whole life, said work smart not hard. His meaning was that whatever you do, utilize the best tools & processes available to do the job right & efficiently. However the best advice he gave me was when I asked him if I should take the job in appliance repair, since it wasn't what I went to tech school for. He said "Son, people will always need refrigerators and washers . . . you will never starve!" Boy was he right!!!

Working smart usually means working efficiently. The title is misleading but the message is right on the money.

I worked hard for 25 years, from the age of 13. Bad knees and a bad back FORCED me to work smart. I make more now than I ever did digging ditches in November. Work smart lads. Don't cripple yourselves for a job that won't afford you a place to live, or a family.

When I was in high school there was a welding class. The only people that took it was next to dropping out of school. I signed up because I knew I did not want to go to college that the school pushed for everyone to do. I continued welding all my work career. 47 years I was a welder. Welded pipeline work half my career. Other half building trades pipefitter/welder. Pipeline all over the country, power houses, nuke plants, steel mills, refiners. If it was round and had a hole it I would weld it. My pension is what most people make today.....

Hard work got me into a job clearing 100k a year. I starting by working for any company that would take me and Learned what I could and as I gained skills I worked to find better opportunities and eventually got into a trade union. School failed me and left me thinking I was a failure. Now I am a commercial HVACR tech and I love my job.

Back in 1999 I was told by a guidance counselor that I was a smart kid and I should go to college, not tech school. I was fortunate enough to get through my 4 year degree without debt but looking back, I probably would have been fine going to tech school and I would have saved thousands of dollars. Let's do a better job of teaching kids the financial cost of picking either option, college or tech.