It’s no longer about what other people want.
Sometimes, I’d look around at my corporate job and wonder, “What are we even doing?”
The goals weren’t clear. Or the work felt pointless. Or the ask felt impossible with the resources available.
Yet, I played that game for a long time. I spent 17 years in the corporate world, job-hopping for the final two years. Each time, I hoped that my new employer would have its act together more than the last.
But doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. I developed a negative connotation with work.
But eventually, I realized that it wasn’t work I despised. It was working for other people.
The only way to find joy in work was to work for myself.
I spent most of my career at a tech startup. The company veered off-track many times. New features would be developed because of a promise made during the sales process. We’d rush features out the door to match a competitor’s offering. And sometimes, those projects weren’t aligned with the product’s core value proposition.
There were times I’d wonder, “Will we ever see a return on investment for this effort?”
By running my own business, I know how my work aligns with my goals. I can see the impact on my financial statements.
I can spend time on work that doesn’t have a clear throughline to income (such as engaging on LinkedIn), but know that my time there eventually leads to new business.
I’m not doing work that has an unclear outcome.
Recently, one of my Facebook “On This Day” posts reminded me that I’d put in a 14-hour day for my employer.
It was crushing to read. While I don’t remember the circumstances, no doubt I was racing to meet some ridiculous deadline. An example of “overpromising” from someone else.