Growing up in Madison, most people I was around were similar to my family and me in the sense that everything we had was obtained through hard work and nothing was ever given. Being raised that way really helped me to develop a strong work ethic, which I am often complimented on by my coaches and professors. That being said, there are several instances, not only in my life, but in the lives of others, where good work ethic and determination still seem to be beaten by who knows who. In some situations, it’s not about how good you are at what you do or how much work and time you put into it, but about who you know.
That’s a tough pill to swallow when you’re looking at things such as getting a promotion, but get passed up by someone who doesn’t produce as well but just seems to know the right people. You don’t really hear many people talk about that kind of thing, but we all know that it happens all the time. People like you and I are left trying to figure out how to make sense of it, but the secret is, you can’t.