Counterpoint: Putting in the Time is NOT the Same as Paying Your Dues
The prevailing mindset in society is that putting in time entitles you to something. The thought pattern is that if you do something longer than someone else, then you have paid more dues and therefore are qualified to receive more benefits.
The problem with this thinking is that putting in time and paying dues are far from the same thing.
When you focus on putting in time this creates a mentality for mediocrity. Instead of focusing on what you do with your time and how effective and efficient you are with your time, you focus just on the time itself. Subsequently the time is the most important factor for benefits, not the work.
On the other hand, when you focus on paying your dues this creates a mentality for a meritocracy. Instead of focusing on how long something takes, you focus on getting the most out of the time regardless of how little or how long it takes. The benefits go to those who deserve it, not to those who have managed to hang around the longest.
Organizations may reward people for putting in time by punching a clock, but “success” does not. “Success” only rewards those who pay their dues by making good use of their time and resources.