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Pursuing Growth

Authors
  • avatar
    Name
    Thaddeus Blankenship
    Twitter

Crabs in a bucket

A few months ago, I was at lunch with some coworkers. The conversation during lunch eventually degraded to complaints about current and previous jobs. Someone made a comment about how that's just the way work is, and eluded to their paycheck being the only reason they were working. After the conversation, I couldn't help but feel like a crab in a bucket; unable to escape workplace hell. I'm not saying my current workplace is hell, just that the mentality of hating work and just doing work to get a paycheck is hell - at least it is for me.

I'm working at my full-time job over 25% of my life - over 40% if you consider my waking hours. I get that some people aren't passionate about what they do, and maybe that works for some people, but it doesn't work for me. I want to build. I want to work on hard problems. I want to grow and learn and look forward to each day of work. Obviously there are days that there's a lot of life going on, and I'm not expecting to love every aspect of a job, but I LIKE to work. When I hear others complain about their jobs and how much they don't like them all I can about is how depressing that must be. 40% of your hours awake being frustrated, complaining, etc...

The better way

I met with a mentor of mine last week. As we were catching up, he mentioned that many people early in their careers over-index on salary raises instead of focusing on personal growth and experience. I never understood the importance of focusing on investing in my own skills until recently. I know I'm coming from a privileged point of view, but I've finally realized that I'm going to be financially stable and fine unless something incredibly catastrophic happens. If that's the case, then why am I trying to get more money and salary? I know I want to work, and will continue to work after I'm financially independent, so working somewhere simply for a paycheck is a fool's errand. I've only got one life, so I want to fill it with work and experiences that help me be the best person I possibly can be.

The currency of life

In the book "Die With Zero", by Bill Perkins, Bill suggests that the true currency of life is experience, not money. Money is simply a tool for you to live your life. We trade money for expereinces. Quite literally in my career, I shouldn't be trading experience for more money, as experiences and memories are the most imporant things we have in life.