Stop moving in a straight line
Hey readers who like to do things differently,
I just got done reading the winning unconventional essay over at Chris Guillebeau’s Art of Non-Conformity. Allan Bacon wrote a great piece called, Moving to Paris Without Quitting My day Job: A Lesson in Becoming a Non-conformist. What intrigued me the most was when he went back down the corporate ladder. Now that’s gutsy!
I’ve seen people go up the corporate ladder and take on tons of stress, but I rarely hear of anyone coming back down it – at least while they are still alive and kicking. I had been taught in school & work that we need to move forward in a straight line going in the direction believed to be up. But maybe up isn’t straight. Maybe up is different for everyone and one person’s up is down or to the left or to the right or in a zig zag or even off the plane completely.
Life was not meant to be lived in a straight line. So, get out your life direction pencil and start scribbling (and erasing if need be) …
Muse thx,
Giulietta
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Thanks for sharing that essay and pointing out that “moving up the ladder” doesn’t necessarily mean moving up in living the life you were meant to live.
So many people equate a higher salary with success, and think anyone who leaves a full-time job for something that’s not as secure should have her head examined. The quest for fulfilling work or a more balanced life for one person may appear to others to be financial suicide. Sure, money does play a role and there should be enough to cover the basics. But what’s the point of having the extra money if you are just trying to make it through the day?
Some of the happiest people I know are that way because they made choices that appeared to be a move downward–part-time hours, starting a new business even with the financial risk, or like the essayist, moved down from a more stressful higher position, etc. They made changes and took back their life.
Hi Sally,
Love your line to take back your life! Why do we keep giving it away? For whom do we live anyway?
Muse thx
Giulietta