My first job out of college, my boss asked me to create a “vision board” to hang next to my desk. When I asked him what I should put on it, he said, “Anything you want to buy with the money you earn! Maybe a car, or a purse, or a house – dream big! Something you really want to work for to remind you, every single day, why you come into the office.”
I remember looking at a blank sheet of paper, wracking my brain. Over and over, I asked myself: “What the hell do I want to buy?” Crickets.
Eventually, I told him I didn’t really want to buy anything; I wanted to travel and see the world. He suggested that I choose a car instead. So, I printed out a picture of a jeep and hung up my vision board. Traveling wasn’t a very realistic goal, anyway, given that I only got 10 days of vacation per year.
(If we’re being honest, buying a jeep wasn’t a very realistic goal either. I was making under 20k at the time on a “trial period” – barely enough to pay rent.)
Every day, I would come into the office at 8am, grab a cup of coffee, and glare at the jeep.
Then, I would sit at my desk until 5pm, stealing longing glances out the window and feeling like I was wasting my life.
This lasted for about a year until I quit. Three months later I became a freelance marketer and yoga instructor, booked a one-way ticket to Spain, and left to indefinitely travel the world.
Rise & Not Grind
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: fuck rise and grind culture.
Working yourself to death is passé. (Say it again louder, for the employers in the U.S.)
A fulfilling career and happy life should not require that you work 50+ hours a week and juggle multiple jobs.
We should not normalize being overworked and underpaid.
Make It Count
If my boss had asked the right questions, he might have been able to keep me around a bit longer. The most important one being, “What motivates you?”
Yes, in my land, flexibility reigns supreme.
But more importantly, I need to feel like my work is making the world a better place. I want to contribute to something bigger and more important than myself.
Now, when I look at the marketing consultancy I’ve built, I am surrounded by clients who treat their employees with kindness and respect. They care for others, give back to the environment, fight for human rights and are wildly passionate about what they do.
I work with incredible people who are changing the world. That, in my mind, is far more important than a flexible work schedule.
Et tu, Brute?
On that note, take pause and think for a moment. What drives you?
As my ex-boss learned, we aren’t all motivated by the same thing. My unpredictable lifestyle (and paycheck) would drive plenty of people nuts.
Do you want job security? An environment where you can continuously learn? Maybe you want to make your own schedule?
These are the questions that employers should be asking during your interview. These are the things you should be fighting for.
And remember, if you can find your “why,” chase it, and make money with it… well, then you’re one of the lucky ones. Not everyone has the privilege to build a career that aligns with their dreams.
Want more Madison? Send her a message to talk shop about marketing, mobility, or join her at a yoga retreat!
