Thereâs no one size fits all approach to anything in life. Yin and Yang clearly don’t match!
Nothing is permanent in life either. Pain and pleasure are temporary. From health to career-wise, especially while engaging in both remote and in-person work, these reminders have helped me in various aspects of my life.
With over 70% of Americans convinced money will make them happy, most of the country is following a dangerous mindset. It isnât about the physical profit or change in the bank, but rather what you can do with what you have to make other areas of life feel richer.
If you didnât get the chance to read this article on what people really chase, I highly suggest you take a quick skim before reading it since it will provide a solid framework to help you make better decisions and view your life in a fresh way.
Just like intelligence, wealth comes in different forms. Thereâs physical wealth but also health, family, brainpower, friendships, security, sanity, etc. that all come in different shapes and sizes of wealth. Pushing them to the highest peak isnât necessarily always healthy nor requires a 9-figure salary but it does require patience, diligence, willpower, and persistence that are cultivated within.
Once your basic needs are met, security, safety, love, nutrition, and economic security, the power to heal, stay happy, and grateful are in your hands to decide your fate, what you do with your feelings, and how you register whatâs happening around you in the world.
As they say, itâs not what happens to you, itâs how you react. Congruently, itâs not what you do but how you do it. Being reliant on anyone, especially for your happiness can be disastrous. In fact, more often than not, you will feel less whole and more empty, especially when they are gone.
We all have to move on in life. That keeps us resilient and stronger past failure.
Reliance for money, fame, security, or comfort isnât always a great mix. Only 2% of entrepreneurs can really depend on their ventures. Nothing is as good or as bad as it seems.
When we grow up, it is important to be mature, reliant on oneself, and dependant on your own gifts and skills, not let your spouse be the breadwinner and dictate how much you can spend or do. That is the lowest form of security. It isnât in dollar amounts, itâs in freedom and true richness over all other areas of life.
Breakdown in Real Riches
Working solo?
The results arenât as spectacular as they may sound. Sure they may offer flexibility, lower food, transportation costs, and most evidently time, but what about richness in other areas of life?
Remember, time you enjoy wasting isnât necessarily wasted and a lot of life is meant to be wasted in order to holistically explore and grow.
Although I used to be obsessed with âthe hustle and grindâ as a teen, emerging out of the dark days of the pandemic into an endemic, Iâve found a new appreciation for doing nothing. Through adopting this tougher mindset, not sitting on factory floors or drinking RedBull, Iâve found a greater appreciation for life to work smarter not longer.
One of the greatest advantages to not working solo is the irreplaceable tools and community. Without a team or retirement funds such as a 401(k), thereâs no life. No real security or bond in place to pave a happier path without others. Life is made to be fun, not productive 24/7, and with a steady support system of various kinds, it is truly priceless.
And how does this translate? Well, the results on office versus self-employed workers are mixed since they are completely personalized and rushed. Yes, rushed based on trends and popular assumptions, not always reality. Everyone has their own preference but life is so much more than work. Every job is important and no task is too small to take on but lifestyle balance is achievable everywhere. We all have more power than we think. If we can prove it is ideal for us, it can change for us.
Sure, does chronic pain, anxiety, fatigue, and sleep deprivation go away outside of the 18-hr desk? A lot of the time, yes but it doesnât have to be that way with moderation in place. Everything in life requires moderation. Itâs rarely the work that stresses people out, it is the people, environment, and demands that are all temporary and flexible in your own way.
With massive regret looming over a record number of first-time homebuyers, retirees and now quitters during the pandemic, this comes to show that when rushing a decision or making one based on a trend, it is never healthy nor sustainable.
You probably came here to see comparisons on who is healthier, happier, and wealthier or to prove your role is better long-term but thatâs an unrealistic unhealthy average measurement. It shouldnât be measured in the first place since it is individualized and there are too many idiosyncratic factors to take into account. If it feels right for you, try it out, and donât grow impatient just because it gets hard.
These days in this tight labor market, plenty of options may seem enticing yet we must remember, what we donât have, will annoyingly always look better but this usually isnât the case until discovered.
The Real Deal
Ok. You asked for it. Iâll give you one measurement to illustrate how skewed the data can be especially when conducted by a specific group.
The 2019 Self-Employment in America Survey states that 70 percent of the nearly 4,000 workers polled have achieved work-life balance, and 55 percent feel less stressed than they did in a traditional office.
Now, this is a pretty generic survey. We donât have any clue about the hours, team, or the environment of the workplace but assuming it is a 9â5 role, this isnât shocking but whatâs achievable afterward?
Although anything on your own or in the comfort of your couch seems liberating, ask yourself, is it worth it in the end?
It is up to you to decide and not rush the process.
If thereâs one thing for sure, working less does in fact make people happier, healthier, and more productive in the long term and doesnât have to limit output. Since the future is decided by optimists and past ~5 hours per day of work, our productivity slumps, we have more control than we think.
Thereâs no one solution besides the one that works best for you. What you believe, becomes true. If it seems healthier, it probably is. If it doesnât seem secure, follow what will. Adjust to your liking and then youâll be you.