"If money was no object, and all people on this planet were paid the same for what they contributed to society, what would you choose to do as your career?"
We were all quiet for a minute.
"Photographer"
"Writer"
"Open a Bed and Breakfast"
Not one person said their current career.
Not one.
***
Have you ever stopped to think about just how crazy many of our lives have become?
We wake up and put on "work" clothes to go to jobs to make "money" - we pay for gas and cars and we put mileage on them to get there. We take our pay cheques and use it for lunches to eat out and coffees in the morning and we strive for a higher and higher income bracket and pay more and more tax. We spend less and less time with our families, more and more time on the road, aggravated in traffic, complaining often about needing a vacation or counting down the days to the weekend.
When we have finished paying the expenses of getting ourselves to and from work, what we are wearing to work and what we are eating while we are at work and the taxes for going to work, what do we have left?
The longer I have observed from the sidelines, the more I want to challenge the societal beliefs around jobs and work.
"It has to be hard"
"It is somewhere we go"
"We can't survive without one"
"How many more days until the weekend /vacation?"
"I need the benefits"
"We grow up, we go to school, we get a job, we have a family"
"Our quality of life is defined by what we do"
"Our quality of life is defined by how much revenue and education we have"
"The more money we make, the happier we are"
"The harder you work, the more money you make"
"My success is defined by a title I hold, designations I carry, level of education I have ...."
Says who?
Why are we, literally, surviving through each day?
What is wrong with us?
Do we believe our happiness is dictated by our perceived "success" or have we possibly become so focused on equality that our talents are hiding under our latest title?
It appears that somewhere along the way we became so focused on "getting a job to pay the bills" or "breaking glass ceilings instead of glass slippers", that it is possible our health and happiness have been sacrificed and our gifts have not been used to their fullest potential or become dormant.
***
I had a life changing moment a few months ago that has left me with a permanent imprint and a desire to completely gut and reshape my beliefs about money and work.
I applied for (what I believed) to be a long shot job. Big kahuna money, fancy title and publicly traded company. Mal would never have to work another day (which I can assure you he was a big fan of) and I would get a driver to take me to work and pick up my soy latte en route.
(Just kidding. I don't drink soy lattes - this was for only for the effect of the whole driver service scenario. I am certain every person with a personal driver gets a soy latte en route.)
(No whip. No foam).
I got called for it.
I had a phone interview and didn't think for a second I would hear back.
I heard back.
I was called to go for a half day interview with their Department Management team.
There was this screaming voice inside my head saying this wasn't the right fit and nothing would be worth this much money but I went ahead with the interview anyways.
I got up at 5am for a 9:30am interview.
I drove and hour and a half to get there.
I sat for two hours reviewing my notes and prepping and met with the whole team.
At one point during the meeting, the person I would report to said (and I quote) - "I even moved xxx's office next to mine because I don't want to have to walk across the building - if I have a question, I want to open the door and have him available at my disposal."
My entire drive home all I could think of was that there was no chance I could do this job.
You could not pay me enough anymore to literally become a slave to my success.
***
There were two reasons this was such a game changer for me.
One, (if I'm honest), it stroked my ego to know I was "good enough" to make it to the top 3 candidates for a job that was a power - "seat at the table" - public company - >10,000 employees - biiiiiig job.
The second, and far more important reason, was that, for the first time in my career, I had no interest in the money or the title. I realized I was shifting and more interested in truly living my life to the fullest than running myself into the ground.
I decided to redesign what a 'job' looked like to me and try to figure out how to use my skills and interests to make a lifestyle I wouldn't want to retire from.
***
"It has to be hard"
"It is somewhere we go"
"We can't survive without one"
"How many more days until the weekend /vacation?"
"I need the benefits"
"We grow up, we go to school, we get a job, we have a family"
"Our quality of life is defined by what we do"
"Our quality of life is defined by how much revenue and education we have"
"The more money we make, the happier we are"
"The harder you work, the more money you make"
"My success is defined by a title I hold, designations I carry, level of education I have ...."
Says who?
Why are we, literally, surviving through each day?
What is wrong with us?
Do we believe our happiness is dictated by our perceived "success" or have we possibly become so focused on equality that our talents are hiding under our latest title?
It appears that somewhere along the way we became so focused on "getting a job to pay the bills" or "breaking glass ceilings instead of glass slippers", that it is possible our health and happiness have been sacrificed and our gifts have not been used to their fullest potential or become dormant.
***
I had a life changing moment a few months ago that has left me with a permanent imprint and a desire to completely gut and reshape my beliefs about money and work.
I applied for (what I believed) to be a long shot job. Big kahuna money, fancy title and publicly traded company. Mal would never have to work another day (which I can assure you he was a big fan of) and I would get a driver to take me to work and pick up my soy latte en route.
(Just kidding. I don't drink soy lattes - this was for only for the effect of the whole driver service scenario. I am certain every person with a personal driver gets a soy latte en route.)
(No whip. No foam).
I got called for it.
I had a phone interview and didn't think for a second I would hear back.
I heard back.
I was called to go for a half day interview with their Department Management team.
There was this screaming voice inside my head saying this wasn't the right fit and nothing would be worth this much money but I went ahead with the interview anyways.
I got up at 5am for a 9:30am interview.
I drove and hour and a half to get there.
I sat for two hours reviewing my notes and prepping and met with the whole team.
At one point during the meeting, the person I would report to said (and I quote) - "I even moved xxx's office next to mine because I don't want to have to walk across the building - if I have a question, I want to open the door and have him available at my disposal."
My entire drive home all I could think of was that there was no chance I could do this job.
You could not pay me enough anymore to literally become a slave to my success.
***
There were two reasons this was such a game changer for me.
One, (if I'm honest), it stroked my ego to know I was "good enough" to make it to the top 3 candidates for a job that was a power - "seat at the table" - public company - >10,000 employees - biiiiiig job.
The second, and far more important reason, was that, for the first time in my career, I had no interest in the money or the title. I realized I was shifting and more interested in truly living my life to the fullest than running myself into the ground.
I decided to redesign what a 'job' looked like to me and try to figure out how to use my skills and interests to make a lifestyle I wouldn't want to retire from.
***
I don't believe our traditional operating model serves us anymore.
I don't believe life is meant to be "survived" and jobs are meant to be "hard".
I believe people should use their gifts and talents towards the rest of humanity and love their work - and in return - trust that they will be rewarded for it.
I also don't believe we need half the finances or materialism we claim we do.
(Except a Mini. I still really want that car. Metallic grey. Soft top convertible. I can see it now.... I am Charlize Theron zipping into a teeny, weeny parking space, rapidly changing gears. Sorry. I know, I know. I must focus.)
Focus.
In business, we sit in boardrooms and write on white boards, brainstorming "new verticals" that can "fit" and "draw in additional revenue". We work endlessly to ensure the future security of the company, the employees and the shareholders and safeguard against an economic hit.
Who says it is wrong to follow that same logic personally?
Do we safe guard against job loss, business closure or lay offs?
Do we sit down as a family at home and talk about our income streams or where we could potentially increase our household revenue?
Are there different sources to receive abundance in life in ways most of us don't think of because we are still following the model of operating that might not necessarily be as "safe" in 2018 as it was in 1975?
Many of us have been taught to "save for a rainy day" or to stockpile for retirement - but why should we be miserable for years and only enjoy life at the end?
What if we don't make it to retirement?
What if you have an emergency fund of 3 months put away and you are without work for a year?
***
I want to break the mold.
I want to reinvent the definition of work.
I might want to work 4 hours a day for the next 7 days straight.
I might chew up an entire Saturday and work 15 hours straight on a great post because I'm so consumed I've lost track of time.
I just want to trust that if I follow my heart and allow my path to unfold by doing what I love and inspiring others along the way - that my success will come in the form of pure contentment and that I will always have enough resources and finances for what I need in life.
It's a ballsy move and I might fall flat on my face.
I might get a "real" job again in another six months and take back every comment I've made right now.
Or I might speak at a school on a Monday, do 3 Reflexology treatments on a Tuesday, write a post or part of a book on a Wednesday and consult for some amazing companies on Thursday and Friday -educating employees on how to stay healthy, happy and motivated or helping business owners find efficiencies in their operation.
"If money was no object and all people on this planet were paid the same for what they contributed to society, what would you choose to do as your career?"
I don't believe life is meant to be "survived" and jobs are meant to be "hard".
I believe people should use their gifts and talents towards the rest of humanity and love their work - and in return - trust that they will be rewarded for it.
I also don't believe we need half the finances or materialism we claim we do.
(Except a Mini. I still really want that car. Metallic grey. Soft top convertible. I can see it now.... I am Charlize Theron zipping into a teeny, weeny parking space, rapidly changing gears. Sorry. I know, I know. I must focus.)
Focus.
In business, we sit in boardrooms and write on white boards, brainstorming "new verticals" that can "fit" and "draw in additional revenue". We work endlessly to ensure the future security of the company, the employees and the shareholders and safeguard against an economic hit.
Who says it is wrong to follow that same logic personally?
Do we safe guard against job loss, business closure or lay offs?
Do we sit down as a family at home and talk about our income streams or where we could potentially increase our household revenue?
Are there different sources to receive abundance in life in ways most of us don't think of because we are still following the model of operating that might not necessarily be as "safe" in 2018 as it was in 1975?
Think for a second about how the traditional model served the thousands of employees who worked for Sears. That safe job that they worked at for 30 years really didn't turn out so well when they were left without work or pensions.
What if we don't make it to retirement?
What if you have an emergency fund of 3 months put away and you are without work for a year?
I'm not saying everyone should up and leave their full time job.
I'm saying it is worth rethinking if we are only staying in a job we aren't happy in "for the money" or "for the stability" and if it wastes the opportunity to use hidden talent.
I'm saying it is worth rethinking if we are only staying in a job we aren't happy in "for the money" or "for the stability" and if it wastes the opportunity to use hidden talent.
I want to break the mold.
I want to reinvent the definition of work.
I might want to work 4 hours a day for the next 7 days straight.
I might chew up an entire Saturday and work 15 hours straight on a great post because I'm so consumed I've lost track of time.
I just want to trust that if I follow my heart and allow my path to unfold by doing what I love and inspiring others along the way - that my success will come in the form of pure contentment and that I will always have enough resources and finances for what I need in life.
It's a ballsy move and I might fall flat on my face.
I might get a "real" job again in another six months and take back every comment I've made right now.
Or I might speak at a school on a Monday, do 3 Reflexology treatments on a Tuesday, write a post or part of a book on a Wednesday and consult for some amazing companies on Thursday and Friday -educating employees on how to stay healthy, happy and motivated or helping business owners find efficiencies in their operation.
Who says that I have to have one job, one career and one pay check?
I'm taking a gamble that maybe I don't.
I'm taking a gamble that maybe I don't.
***
If you were asked that same question -
"If money was no object and all people on this planet were paid the same for what they contributed to society, what would you choose to do as your career?"
Would you choose what you are doing today?
Maybe you would.
Maybe you wouldn't.
All I'm saying here is that maybe, just maybe, there is a different way to live.
"Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth" - JFK
