I had dinner with an ex boss quite a while back. He’s one of the most brilliant, humble mentor I’ve had. He never questioned my decisions and backed me up in the company the best way he can. And so one of the questions he asked me last night was, “Where do think you’ll be 3 years from now? And most importantly, how do you think you’d feel by then?” and of course he gave me that serious yet cheeky look of his.
Obviously, last night, sleep was yet again elusive to me. I pondered on the question…and asked the same one to myself over and over.
Will I then be living the dream? Doing a hobby? Focused and passionate?
I don’t know… what I know is, I’ve figured out some definitions and I hope this somehow helps you too.
What are you currently doing in life?
I’d say you are doing your hobby when you devote low time commitment and you get low economic value.
You are living the dream when you give low time commitment yet you get high economic value! So when you’re giving in high time commitment and have high economic value then you’re focused and passionate about what you’re currently doing, just like start-up founders!
Last but not the least, and I hope you’re not doing this, is that, when it involves high time commitment but low economic value then darling, you are being exploited. Rethink that.
Economic value in this context is the reward you get, intrinsic or extrinsic. Intrinsic including acknowledgement, recognition, good feedback. Extrinsic rewards are gifts, goods, salary, promotions etc.
Oh and I’m not done with any of my write-ups (for the book) yet ………… it’s taking me longer than I thought 💭 ✍️ feelings and emotions have started a war with me. The battlefield’s gruesome.
OverthinkingisnotDead. 