Mike Rowe’s 12-Point Pledge Solves Life’s Big Problems


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12-Point Pledge

We originally wrote this article for DailyFinance, but it’s a fun/insightful/interesting topic we wanted to share, just in case you hadn’t heard of it before. We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Mike Rowe, the former “Dirty Jobs” host, has deemed himself neither a supporter of the little guy nor the big guy — but a supporter of hard work.

We wanted to look closer at what Rowe means by hard work in his SWEAT Pledge, which stands for Skill & Work Ethic Aren’t Taboo. Outlined below are its 12 statements, with our thoughts added.

  1. I believe that I have won the greatest lottery of all time. I am alive. I walk the Earth. I live in America. Above all things, I am grateful.
  2. I believe that I am entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Nothing more. I also understand that “happiness” and the “pursuit of happiness” are not the same thing. They’re not? Shoot! So we’re not entitled to happiness. But we’re entitled to working as hard as we can to achieve it? I’m down with that.
  3. I believe there is no such thing as a “bad job.” I believe that all jobs are opportunities, and it’s up to me to make the best of them.
  4. I do not “follow my passion.” I bring it with me. I believe that any job can be done with passion and enthusiasm. In other words, our jobs don’t define us. We define what kind of worker we are in any given profession.
  5. I deplore debt, and do all I can to avoid it. I would rather live in a tent and eat beans than borrow money to pay for a lifestyle I can’t afford. How many of us can honestly say this? (Slowly puts hand down.) Imagine the problems that would be solved if we all felt this way (including you, Uncle Sam).
  6. I believe that my safety is my responsibility. I understand that being in “compliance” does not necessarily mean I’m out of danger.
  7. I believe the best way to distinguish myself at work is to show up early, stay late and cheerfully volunteer for every crappy task there is. That is, work your you-know-what off, burn the midnight oil and all that good stuff. Don’t look for shortcuts on the path to success.
  8. I believe the most annoying sounds in the world are whining and complaining. I will never make them. If I am unhappy in my work, I will either find a new job or find a way to be happy.
  9. I believe that my education is my responsibility and absolutely critical to my success. I am resolved to learn as much as I can from whatever source is available to me. I will never stop learning and understand that library cards are free.
  10. I believe that I am a product of my choices — not my circumstances. I will never blame anyone for my shortcomings or the challenges I face. And I will never accept the credit for something I didn’t do. Of course! Pshhh … none of us would ever do this. The truth is, in the game of life, we’ve all been dealt different hands. But it’s up to us what we make of them.
  11. I understand the world is not fair, and I’m OK with that. I do not resent the success of others. Looking to the Joneses doesn’t help us. If we can turn that resentment into inspiration, we’ll be much better for it.
  12. I believe that all people are created equal. I also believe that all people make choices. Some choose to be lazy. Some choose to sleep in. I choose to work my butt off. Amen. I’ll start waking up early … tomorrow.

I don’t know about you, but Johnny and I are kind of in love with this pledge. How much time have we wasted complaining? Well, let’s not go there. But what if all that time had been spent working our butts off? What a better place we’d live in if we all signed the SWEAT Pledge.

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3 Comments

  • Reply Money Beagle October 15, 2015 at 12:38 pm

    Thanks for sharing. I just started reading Daily Finance in more detail so I’ll have to keep an eye out for your stuff there.

  • Reply Bean Bytes 163 October 19, 2015 at 12:00 am

    […] Runs How Your Contacts Can Give You an Eye Infection (And How to Prevent It) via Fitting It All In Mike Rowe’s 12-Point Pledge Solves Life’s Big Problems via Our Freaking Budget 5 Signs You Will Be Successful Working For Yourself via Regan […]

  • Reply Alex October 22, 2015 at 12:36 am

    Great post.
    I’ve really liked what Mike has to say about things. His lifestyle of working in different shoes seems to have given him some solid perspectives. My wife and I recently watched his Ted Talk, and loved his thoughts about finding the job of your passion.

    Thanks for sharing!

  • Leave a Reply to Alex Cancel Reply