Five Contrarian Views That Transformed My Working Life
We’ve been taught to live and work in a certain way, with the belief that loyalty to one boss will get us further than everyone else. The reality is actually quite different, here’s how you can truly get ahead of the pack.
Do everything you can to work for yourself
I was told freelancing was “too risky” by people who had never done it before. Here’s the reality, you can charge more, your work ethic is better (because it’s your name at risk) and you can learn so much more with the variety of clients. You’re also removed from all the politics of a traditional business environment and you have the freedom to move around as much or as little as you wish.
Chasing promotions only gets you so far
Companies dangle promotions every step of the way, to keep employees engaged, but promotions can often be more about ego than anything else, Consider that you might be better off moving on to another company, where you’re set to learn more and build up the confidence to become a leader through your knowledge, not just through companies feeling they have to promote you with a 1% raise to keep you sticking around.
Invest your salary into your own side investments
Don’t spend your disposable income on luxuries to show off, invest that money into something you’re building for yourself, perhaps a side business you want to start, another skill you can make money off of, or a deposit for a separate property you can rent out. Most of the smartest minds I’ve met who are completely self-made have made some big sacrifices to get to where they have.
Don’t buy into company propaganda when they’re underpaying you
Any terms like “we’re like a family here” or “everyone works late every night at this company” are a foundation of BS. What this translates to, is the founder isn’t sharing any of the money they have, or they’re scrimping at costs at your expense. If you’re being underpaid, ask yourself why, there should be a very good reason, either an agreed bonus very soon or a future equity exit. Never take anyone on the faith that if you work hard, you’ll get that pay rise you deserve, leave quickly and know what your worth is.
Never jeopardize your mental health, even for a moment
Far too many people stick around in jobs with terrible bosses, and management simply because they feel stuck and have nothing better to go to. If your work is making you actively unhappy day in and day out, move on. There is nothing in this world that’s worth sacrificing your time and energy for if you’re not happy and staying around for too long can actually do more long-term damage than you realize.
Sometimes it’s worth stepping back from the bigger picture of where you’ve found yourself and asking what it is you want. Work backward on how you can get there and start taking action. Remember it’s about you and it’s OK to be selfish to get what you want.
