waddup GMATClub,
Business Conqueror here with a new perspective to enlighten those who have decided to leave everything, their families, their peace of mind, their true self, etc just to work in a fancy company as Google or Amazon.
Now let's establish the tone of this entire article- it will be judgemental and sassy so read with a healthy sense of humour in the mind. I will speak in uni-gender, to those who want can replace the pronouns used with the one suited to them while reading. (Apparently, I don't follow a book and don't bend to the things that I find non-intriguing-
there's the sass I was talking about)
Let's begin.
There is this guy who has an amazing family. Family has supported him for a long time and has fostered values that make strong men. Ethics and morals are key when leading a life of honour.
Now let's see how his mind gets corrupted.
Big firms = Big pay = Better standard of living (Fairly true)
This concept gives a rise to the fact that a person who sees others more established with better standard of living assumes that the money equation somehow links with the person's inner peace and happiness.
And that is where the person starts defining his self worth with external materials. Why is that?
Just like Mr. X, there are Mr. A, Mr. B and so on who see that a higher standard of living is somehow associated with status and happiness and in group chat they give the person who has accomplish more, the authority to define the standards of their happiness by aspiring to be him.
What happens as a result of that?The people like Mr. X start engaging in activities that don't define their true self. In neuroscience, the term we use is meta program. People don't follow the meta program that defines them. We know that people are different and we aspire to be with the ones who are like us yet stay humble to the people who are not like us- Resource view (You can PM me if you want to know more).
Now there's a small analogy that can help resolve this-
A guy who pretends to be something else to just get a girl (replace with the word you find more comfortable) only to get her and realise that he is in the wrong relationship and ends up hurting 4 parties- him, his girl, his girl's next and his next.
Same thing happens when you don't have firm values of your own to understand that this is where you will be happy and beyond that you are just testing your limit.
For example, on a number line plot numbers from 0 to 100. We are imperfect creatures so let's assume that there is no human at 100. Now, plotting the happiness line and the level of accomplishments that will enable you to live a stable and mentally healthy life, jot down a point on the line. Remember you cannot get a 100. Pick a number!
Sure! You think you are too clever and you picked 99, right??
Let's add a few things. At 99, the happiness level is close to zero and at 50 the happiness level is stable. With the amount of money needed to live a stable life marginally same. What number do you choose now?
50-99.
You probably know now what essentially runs in your life. If you make a tradeoff for money, you will never have stability. If you have stability, you can still get what you want, but may be the savings will be lower. Quite frankly, you are not taking any credits from your life with you upon death so save only as much as is needed for you to survive old age- P.S It is a curse.
Second logic-
When you think you work for a larger organisation, you think you are very accomplished, where in fact you are a pawn in the bigger game of chess. Why so mean?
Yeah! Let's see.
You have a boss,
Who has a boss,
Who has a boss,
Who has many other bosses
and those many bosses then answer to a big boss who then answers to the shareholders- Whoever holds largest pie calls the shots by the way.
In large organisation, there is high degree of compartmentalisation and you will just be doing a part of job that was given to you than do something that can drive strategic objectives of an organisation- actually- this is the more essential part.
Now let's say you are a CEO, my argument falls apart, right???
Let's zoom out a bit. You are CEO of one company or a group of companies in a world full of what millions of companies?
Your organisation ultimately becomes a pawn in the mix and in this very case- you can't even have the biggest share of pie, why?????
Anti-trust laws prohibit you from having that impact to have a dominance?
So, what then we just leave the job and sit at home?
Never said that!
All I am saying is that you can have a substantial part of your life that is assured for something that could never be yours. You'll always be a pawn as a businessman. Yes, given that the pawn becomes queen when it marches to the end, but in this case, that end is getting involved in the government, which I think you could have done directly instead of wasting 30 years of your life.
So what then??? What to do?
Do your work but don't let the work or your organisation or the external factors define your self worth. Your self worth is defined by your own self, no one else can tell you that your life is sad unless you let them.
Work with an understanding of the fact that you're a pawn in a bigger plan who has task X and will be happy enough with that task. Beyond that only make efforts if you are efficient enough to not sabotage your personal life. That would be termed as you trying to test your limit.
Regarding the corporate ladder thing- "Every pawn thinks that they will be queen with every step they take in front, but truth is every pawn that makes unnecessary step ends up captured." No need to push others to move forward. You will remain a pawn until the end anyways so best to take small steps that can even prove fatal to the bigger pieces.
If you found this article insulting in anyways- I exercise my right to Free speech and also, right to opinion and blasphemy.
To those who stayed till the end to read it- Thank you. It is very important that people see an opinion and read it completely.
Nikhil &
bb What do you think???
_________________
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