Stop telling ambitious creatives to “get a real job”

I’ve had people tell me to “quit” and “get a real job” probably hundreds of times since I first started working for myself 13+ years ago.

And not just in the times when I struggled, but even in times of success. While I don’t agree with it, I get why people think this way.

We’re all programmed to think that working for somebody else is the safest bet.⁠ That getting a paycheck is more stable.⁠

But the funny thing is, whenever I’ve worked for somebody else, that stable 9-to-5 I was hunting for was never what I ended up with. ⁠I always struggled no matter who I was working for… either being severely underpaid, overworked, creatively starved, or being seen as “easily replaceable.” I never felt “safe” or appreciated.

There’s a reason people talk about cubicle hell. Working for someone else isn’t the stable career choice people want to believe it is.⁠ Ultimately, you you don’t own the company, so you’re always at risk of getting axed.

In fact, one of the reasons I started my own business is BECAUSE all the “real jobs” were unreliable.

Low pay, working multiple jobs, frequent layoffs, no benefits, long hours, mediocre co-workers, hostile bosses. ⁠It’s not the recipe for success that so many people would have you believe it is.

I mean, going it alone sounds a lot less risky when you consider all of the drawbacks of a traditional workplace.⁠

Is it easy? No.

Are there ups and downs? Yes.

Is it unpredictable and sometimes unreliable… of course.

But if you’re going to take a risk, who would you rather do it for… yourself? Or your 9-to-5 overlords?

So really, don’t worry about what other people think. Just make sure you’re on the right path for you. And although it may feel crazy at times, just remember how crazy it was working for somebody else.

Don’t give up.

Chantilly
AskChantilly.com