Many people love to complain to each other about how hard their job is, regardless of how hard it is in reality. “We’re overworked,” they say. “We’re underpaid,” they tell you. Well I say meet Hiroo Onoda: employee of the damned century.
Mr. Onoda up there was sent off to the Philippines back in 1944 by the Japanese to spy on US forces during World War II. Onoda kept himself well out of sight of the enemy, gathering intel for his country. Nothing would keep him from his duties!
Not even being told the war was over would keep him from his duties! It wasn’t until 1974 that Onoda finally brought to an end what is arguably the longest game of Hide ‘n’ Seek ever played. He refused to come out of hiding until his (now literally) old commanding officer visited him to officially relieve him of duty. Onoda arrived in his battered old uniform and presented his CO with his sword.
Hiroo Onoda went on to live another forty years, passing away in January 2014 at the ripe old age of 91.
So what have you done to stand out at work lately?