After years of being told that things would improve for me once I’d “paid my dues,” I’m now calling bull-sh*t on that lie. There is no light at the end of the worker bee tunnel, especially not for women and people of color. It’s almost like corporate America is a giant pyramid scheme, with those on top convincing the workers beneath them them to keep grinding by dangling better pay and treatment one ladder rung above their current position. They say: don’t mind that shit pouring down on your head – just keep pushing (and working, of course) and you’ll be a boss telling others what to do. Bullsh*t!
You need to face the hard truth – this is a game that you will never win. The paying of dues never ends. The company will use you until you have nothing left to give and then step over your dead or dying body. I say this because I’ve seen it. I saw both of my parents sacrifice 30+ years of their lives on the corporate plantations. They were excellent workers – smart, dedicated, professional. My mom was the type of worker who went back to her office job 2 weeks after giving birth to me because she didn’t want to disappoint her boss. My dad is the guy who worked on weekends and budget traveled on work trips to help the company’s bottom line. Both worked their way up to manager level and both were cut loose the minute they were no longer useful to their respective companies.
My mother did eventually start her own successful consulting business working the corporations that previously employed her, but while they did eek out a comfortable life for us, I saw first hand the strain of toiling for other people. Once you are a bit grey or slow – even as a consultant – you are replaced with someone younger, shinier, and often cheaper.
Despite their own professional betrayals and disappointments, my parents still urged my brother and I to go to college and get “good jobs” – the bigger the company the better. The bigger the name the better. I really tried. I got good grades, I took diligent notes, I interned, I arrived early and stayed late. None of it mattered. Every promotion brought with it a new set up disappointments and humiliations. Yes, my paycheck was larger and my title more prestigious, but it still SUCKED. I could write an entire book about the disrespect and unkindness I’ve endured throughout my career. I wish I could go back in time and give the younger me a hug and a pep talk during some of those horrible situations. I’m not able to time travel, but I can share what I’ve learned in hopes of leading others on a different path. A path of freedom.
Don’t worship corporate America, USE it. Once I realized that the game was rigged and that I’d never win it, I felt a weight lift off of my shoulders. I spent 15+ years clammoring for a coveted “seat at the table.” A table that was always full of people who saw little value in what I had to offer. I was just a number on a sheet of paper – a line item to be optimized. Sadly, this is probably true for you too if you’re working a W2, 9 to 5 sort of job.
On my last plantation before breaking free in 2015, I was hired to be a director at a billion-dollar global corporation. When hired I was told I’d be leading a functional corporate team of 3-4 in addition to running a product testing center with a staff of 7. Once I started and those sitting “at the table” realized that I had the skillset to perform all of the roles in the group; they disbanded the team promised. I was left as a team of one with a work load that I was recruited to perform with at least 4 people, but probably needed closer to 8. It was already a very lean organization.
On top of that, the female leader who recruited me (and who I greatly admired and aspired to become) was promoted to a different team, leaving me at the mercy of a new manager who most openly admitted was both sexist and racist. It was MISERABLE. I worked like a dog and was treated worse than a dog, but I was trapped. I’d moved to a new city, signed a one year empoyment contract that stipulated harsh financial penalties if I left before that one year was up, and I had rented a fancy $2,400/mos apartment with ocean views at the insistence of my then-husband as a condition of making the move. Ironcially he also had a job offer in this new city, but the move “blame” still was placed squarely on my petite shoulders.
This was one of the loneliest, saddest times of my life, but I’m infinitely grateful for it. I had to hit corporate rock bottom in order to realize that I was a slave. Once I understood that I was a captive, my eyes opened and I became obsessed with gaining my freedom. I set up a count down clock on my work laptop tracking the months, weeks, days, and hours until I could give my notice. In the meantime I prayed, I meditated, and I strategized.
Becuase I’d saved and lived frugally (other than the fancy apartment), I realized that I could quit the job, move into one of my rental units in Atlanta, and never have to work again…I’d just live off of rental income! I sat in mtgs with a calm facade while being verbally abused and mentally pictured my freedom clock. In my case, simply lowering my base housing expense from a fancy ocean-view $2,400/mos to $800/mos living in still very nice 3bd/2ba townhome was the simple change that freed me.
I promise you, once you stop begging for a seat at someone else’s table, you’re already on your path to freedom. And, ironically, once you stop playing the game and panting for validation, your value goes up. I presented my notice exactly 2 weeks before the end of my employment contract was set to expire along with an offer to continue working remotely at full salary. My boss was STUNNED. He honestly expected me to continue doing the work of 4+ people while being treated horribly indefinitely just b/c the job was prestigous and paid a lot of money! Ha! Find another slave, but this one is breaking free! The day I drove out of that parking lot for the last time, with a fully paid remote work agreement in hand was one of the best days of my life. I did a praise dance in my car, raising my hands and shouting thank-you! while I cried tears of joy. I’m sure people thought I was crazy, but the moment was too powerful to play cool – my soul shifted and I knew my life would never be the same.
Please wise up sooner than me and make financial and life choices NOW that will allow you to walk away from soul sucking situations later. Please be aware that there is no winning (for most of us) on the corporate plantation…If you are already on the plantation and deeply entrenched, your best bet is to use the company’s resources – your paycheck, benefits, and marketable skills – to build your own table.
Map out how to use the paychecks from that W2 job to buy your own wood (cash-flowing assets) and build your own table – that’s the quickest way to freedom. There are many paths to the promised land – investing in cash-flowing real estate, starting your own business, investing in the stock market, consulting, etc. Evaluate your talents and options and then choose one or several that work for you. Once you realize you’re a slave, you’re already miles ahead of 95% of your peers and can start planning your escape plan. The journey is scary but totally worth it – freedom is so so sweet. Go get you some!
Freelennial 