Work hard or Dont work hard and still have a life?

So your known as the sweet quet girl at work. Everyone knows you they compliment you on your work, they question you on why your working with them and why arent you working somewhere else ? Is this a good thing or bad thing ,is it a hidden push for you to get out of there before its too late and go do something greater with your life? Alot of times companies have there employees who just complain and complain but never go anywhere. You say to yourself" This job is all hype I bust my behind and the pay isnt even worth it , but its a job". I speak from experience and i can relate .
       Ive been working in the retail business since 2005 and quickly got thrown into the management side. The pay was great but my heart wasnt into it and it felt funny managing older women and girls my age whom i was working with before i moved up as just a sales associate. At first they didnt take me serious because I was young but then they saw my potential and stop giving me a hardtime and started doing there part to help the business. I found myself falling in love with merchandising and thats where my heart is. I didnt have to deal with receipt paperwork, customers complaining , I just had a picture in mind and i captivated it when ever i did a wall or floor set. The best part was watching my art fly off the shelf and making the company sales number go up.Through out the years i tried to stick with merchandising but had to start from the bottom going back to being a sales associate and my pockets are HURTING BAD. Its 2011 and i work as a stock/merchandiser for a billion dollar comopany with high price merchandise a shirt is more then my weekly check!! Do you think im balling because the company is ?? NO WAY NOT AT ALL NOT EVEN CLOSE!
I been trying to stick it out with this job because i want to show long term commitment and help build my resume for merchandising. But each time i look at my check and when i see my co workers who complain i get scared that'll Ill become too comfortable just like them and never leave. I complain now oh yes without a doubt but i also bust my behind and im still driven .Im on a mission but my pockets arent feeling this hurt. Am i wasting my time trying to build my resume when I and everyone else knows that i should take my hard working skills somewhere else? Alot of people bust their behind EVERYDAY but struggle  very hard when they have to face the reality outside of work. Some people will tell you " I make alot of money to do nothing and I love it." so if they balling like that i can say " I love my job I work very hard to make Little pay and that part I hate".It saddens me that some people are living life to the fullest and have family to throw money at them and never work. While others work hard and try to make ends meet while those who can careless about their job reap all the benifits in a FAT CHECK. Something is definitely wrong with this picture.