Is This All There Is?

Is this all there is? Is this job really what my career has come to?
 
That question has been coming up frequently with my friends and clients lately. 
 
Earlier on in our careers – there was a sense of hope – that unlike our parents – we could pursue our passions and find meaning in our work. Many of us came up in a world where our jobs and social lives mixed together and where our work felt exciting and meaningful.
 
And in many ways, the tech companies of the past few decades did provide a sense of community and meaning. Google, Facebook and other iconic tech companies grew rapidly and provided incredible opportunities for their employees. The feeling that “we are changing the world” was believable for a time.
 
But recently these tech companies have started to feel more like the blue chips of old. They are massive and bureaucratic businesses, their level of innovation is a fraction of what it once was, and their impact on society is much more complicated these days. Working for these companies has felt more and more like working for “the man” lately.
 
It’s not just that these big tech companies themselves are less exciting. Getting older naturally leads you to think more holistically about your place in the world and realize that a job is only part of the impact you’ll have on the world.
 
Having kids certainly fast tracks that realization, but it is not the only reason folks reevaluate the place their job has in their life. Whether it’s a layoff or a crummy boss – people eventually come to terms with the reality that most companies don’t reciprocate the loyalty that they expect from their employees. And while jobs do put food on the table, they rarely feed our other human needs.
 
So we’re left to wonder:  “What if I’ve gotten it all wrong!?  What if I don’t want what’s supposed to come next?” 
 
But from this place – I actually think we can start to renegotiate our relationship to work.  If you started from scratch – what actually is important to you in this next phase of your career? What are your non-negotiables?

For me, it was being actively involved in the first few years of my daughters’ lives. No company was going to take that away from me.
 
And, I’m inspired by folks experimenting with different models – like the Part Time Tech Community that is taking back control of their lives by saying no to the traditional “full time” job. Or founders who proudly build “lifestyle” businesses so they can lead a balanced life.  Still others are pushing hard - but on projects THEY are passionate about. 
 
And the funny thing is, these big tech firms have given us the tools to have more independence and control of our careers than ever before.

So if you are feeling distraught about the crossroads you face – perhaps it is a sign to redesign your relationship to work.
 
A lot is possible today that wasn’t possible even a few years ago.

But it might take rethinking some of the core assumptions you have about how your career fits into your life.