Important counterbalance to the messaging that, while not always telling people to leave their jobs, feeds the dream of quitting to build your business full-time, which creates a kind of resentment toward the job that's actually supporting you.
I recently wrote a post about how to give purpose to a job you thought had none. If the job's function is to support you while you build in parallel (and it helps you build it right - without panic, urgency or scarcity mindset), then that's a purpose.
And exactly as you're saying, if you can't be intentional with how you use your time, follow through on what you said you'd do, and build the discipline to execute, what exactly changes when you go build it full-time? Nothing.
So the job doesn't stand in the way of doing what you want, unlike what many people think, and I used to think that as well. Such unhelpful thinking. It's an opportunity and a container where you can grow into someone who can actually do what you say you want and be ready for what comes next.
"Build a second vessel that can carry not only your financial burdens but questions of meaning and purpose as well." I deeply resonated with the latter part of this sentence. Thanks for writing this article Ben. Another great one 👍
Thank you for writing this peace. This is exactly what I started to do last year intuitively. It feels reassuring that it aligns with your experience which lead to outcomes. And it motivates me to keep going.
I dedicated my very early mornings or weekends to this, and managed to write and publish my book this way. It gave me meaning, hence energy to continue my full time job.
I remained devoted to my weekly coaching newsletter for my (potential) clients and that gave me purpose and structure. I wrote weekly even when I was sick. It increased my self-respect and confidence.
I do feel I am building in parallel, even if small. I don’t feel I am at the mercy of my employer, hence I feel free at work in my decision making. This doesn’t mean I am careless nor reckless. I am very conscious and respectful of my network and reputation there because I cannot be otherwise, and it is my leverage.
I am in baby steps now in terms of my outreach etc. but I keep going and most importantly I feel alive and free.
Rationally it makes a lot of sense. A major psychological tension in my experience is the fear of the parallel path being first noticed and then interpreted in a certain way by the “mainstream” stakeholders. It’s probably an unavoidable risk and is still more manageable than burning the boats.
Out of curiosity - how structured is your note-taking in Notion? Is it more like capturing ideas in whichever form they come and making sense of them later, or regularly answering some predefined questions, or…?
It’s literary just writing down certain words and phrases to jog my memory later because that is something that is best done in real time. Proper formulation and reflection happens later when I have a block of time to think properly
That sounds like a very useful/strategic perspective shift about the job one already has - to see and treat it as the aid it is rather than as a liability making the dream impossible. Thanks for taking the time with this one Ben… how we see makes all the difference.
I already have a life of my own design — with the failures and successes that come with it. Now I’m intentionally working on the next version.
I think of it as Human 3.0, Professional 3.0, and Business 3.0.
For the past few months I’ve spent an hour every morning writing and building an AI prompt system to think through that transition. Somewhere around the 100-hour mark the path started to clarify.
Then I go to work on the operating engine that finances the present while the next version takes shape.
Build a second boat before moving harbors. Excellent insight.
Important counterbalance to the messaging that, while not always telling people to leave their jobs, feeds the dream of quitting to build your business full-time, which creates a kind of resentment toward the job that's actually supporting you.
I recently wrote a post about how to give purpose to a job you thought had none. If the job's function is to support you while you build in parallel (and it helps you build it right - without panic, urgency or scarcity mindset), then that's a purpose.
And exactly as you're saying, if you can't be intentional with how you use your time, follow through on what you said you'd do, and build the discipline to execute, what exactly changes when you go build it full-time? Nothing.
So the job doesn't stand in the way of doing what you want, unlike what many people think, and I used to think that as well. Such unhelpful thinking. It's an opportunity and a container where you can grow into someone who can actually do what you say you want and be ready for what comes next.
Exactly. This is my line of thinking and you’re right. We all have the option to choose to give purpose to our job
"Build a second vessel that can carry not only your financial burdens but questions of meaning and purpose as well." I deeply resonated with the latter part of this sentence. Thanks for writing this article Ben. Another great one 👍
Thanks Rob. Hope you’ve been well
Thank you for writing this peace. This is exactly what I started to do last year intuitively. It feels reassuring that it aligns with your experience which lead to outcomes. And it motivates me to keep going.
Super. How has the journey been so far?
Exactly as you wrote.
I dedicated my very early mornings or weekends to this, and managed to write and publish my book this way. It gave me meaning, hence energy to continue my full time job.
I remained devoted to my weekly coaching newsletter for my (potential) clients and that gave me purpose and structure. I wrote weekly even when I was sick. It increased my self-respect and confidence.
I do feel I am building in parallel, even if small. I don’t feel I am at the mercy of my employer, hence I feel free at work in my decision making. This doesn’t mean I am careless nor reckless. I am very conscious and respectful of my network and reputation there because I cannot be otherwise, and it is my leverage.
I am in baby steps now in terms of my outreach etc. but I keep going and most importantly I feel alive and free.
Great. Sounds like you’ve created a sustainable path👌
Thank you Benjamin, I am happy to hear that, and your writing is helpful to me on that journey.
Energy is really important. A schedule needs space to add more.
Starting a parallel path means dropping something else to create space for it.
Rationally it makes a lot of sense. A major psychological tension in my experience is the fear of the parallel path being first noticed and then interpreted in a certain way by the “mainstream” stakeholders. It’s probably an unavoidable risk and is still more manageable than burning the boats.
Out of curiosity - how structured is your note-taking in Notion? Is it more like capturing ideas in whichever form they come and making sense of them later, or regularly answering some predefined questions, or…?
It’s literary just writing down certain words and phrases to jog my memory later because that is something that is best done in real time. Proper formulation and reflection happens later when I have a block of time to think properly
That sounds like a very useful/strategic perspective shift about the job one already has - to see and treat it as the aid it is rather than as a liability making the dream impossible. Thanks for taking the time with this one Ben… how we see makes all the difference.
Yes that is the perspective shift. It is a toll helping you on your wider mission. It makes all the difference
I already have a life of my own design — with the failures and successes that come with it. Now I’m intentionally working on the next version.
I think of it as Human 3.0, Professional 3.0, and Business 3.0.
For the past few months I’ve spent an hour every morning writing and building an AI prompt system to think through that transition. Somewhere around the 100-hour mark the path started to clarify.
Then I go to work on the operating engine that finances the present while the next version takes shape.