Amp, Nice post. But here's my thoughts...
While it's nice to tow the Puritan work ethic line of hard work, diligence, piety, and thrift as a personal highway to the middle/high income bracket, what's wrong with finding short cuts?
I'm not talking about short cuts as in avoidance of work or thinking, but working hard at being efficient, at maximizing profit? Indeed, while the US was partly built on the much talked about "Hard work" I'd say more than 90% of it is built on the idea of "Short Cuts"--faster, leaner, cheaper, you name it.
So cut us slackers some slack. I'd rather dream up and work on pneumatic drills while everyone else pounds concrete with their bare knuckles. Call me weird, but less work and higher efficiency = more time dreaming up newer stuff.
As for the other observations re personal traits. Sure, they're nice to have but lionizing these traits often distracts people from the real lesson--seek personal balance and things will come easier than if you hung on too tight.
I guess all those Vipassana classes are finally paying off
