Embracing Hard Work: A Journey Back to My Purpose

“There is no substitute for hard work.”

I just finished Paris Hilton’s memoir and this is one of her closing thoughts.

That woman is more than just a beautiful trust-fund baby. She’s been to Hell and back. She’s transformed her trauma into activism. And she knows what it's like to be universally adored and universally shamed.

There is no substitute for hard work… I know this. We all know this. But I’ve been running from it. And it's time I figure out why.

I used to be an incredibly hard worker. High school was a blur of textbooks, essays, and all-nighters. I was obsessed with getting As. It consumed me. And I worked my ass off to get there.

But then in college, something changed. I started to discover the world of boys, partying, and immediate gratification. I found new, quick fixes for my need for approval. Schoolwork took a backseat, and I coasted. And you know what? I’ve been coasting ever since.

For so many years I wanted to run from high school Nicole. She was a nerd, she was invisible, and she was miserable. And I began to associate hard work with one of the worst chapters of my life.

But what I’ve come to realize, is that in avoiding hard work, I entered a chapter far worse than I could have ever…