Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
For the last 10 years - Have been working in software support roles, project planning, Project cordination in software projects - and earned as reasonable amount, but not has much as I would have liked.
My problem is I have deep hatred and contempt for the entire office culture career, the politics, the fake friendly people, the sneaky downright devious types, people backstabbing and withholding information. I can usually disguise my hatred and contempt for about 2 years max, and then its on to the next job.
Not just people - but often so many of these places are honestly in chaos - there so many problems, and things to fix, bad management, people simply not doing their jobs properly which has a knock on impact on your job, there is a feeling that everyone is just playing the system, working in their own self interest and not being really being efficent - DOING FAKE WORK!
Plus the simple lack of management, and lack of decent opportunites - so what happens is you get stuck doing crappy work, and hey presto you have wasted more of your time, just mopping up crap work for others.
To date the only thing which has kept me going is my competitve nature - the desire to be better than others etc, but its waning as I get older - not sure if I have will to keep it up for another 20 years or so.
I need other options to play with, corporate jobs are just too limiting and boring, and your always walking on eggshells around senior management.
I Could just about put up with a job if I was earning something else on the side, like a business.
Project Management, and Planning Certification - to increase my daily rate and employability.
A Business, but seems so difficult, and where to start?
Start creating websites, for passive income - but this seems to hit or miss, not really a definate money maker.
My dream is to come into work - making money on the side with a business- and just sit there smiling at the conceited *******s we have to tolerate in your average office job.
While at the same performing better than them at your Job, and rising up the career ladder.
The only way to beat *******s at work - is to simply out earn them - thats the only thing they really care about.
most people i know including myself feel the same way but its just the way it is. if you are an educated person then the odds are you will find the best opportunities to earn a living in corporate america. many try to find a way out of this horrifying existance but its tough to do. finding a small office with decent people is an option. the big company campus atmosphere scene is tough to endure for long....or just train your mind to tune it out and just be great at your job, get paid and thats that.
... "The only way to beat them is to out earn them." Sounds like you fit right in, so whats the problem? It's pretty hard to out earn the corporate world which is why so many people put up with it. I'd never go back personally. No benefits, no steady hours, no steady pay, earn less than I would had I stayed in the corporate world. I'll stay right where I am, thank you very much
When you're talking "corporate" do you mean Fortune500 companies? Financial, Insurance, lawyers? Companies over 100 people? White collar? There's a whole world outside ...um, THAT oppressive scheit. Of course having your own business allows you to have more control over all those variables you mentioned. I don't believe anyone can get rich working for someone else. Very few do and it involves conforming to the corporate culture and being a puppet for the most part.
I hate it to, that's why I don't work for corporate America We all have to make choices. If we can make more money at a job we hate, we do it for the money. Of course, the higher pay comes with the territory. You very well may be working yourself into the grave. Sometimes, that higher paycheck just isn't worth it. For some folks, and you sound like one, it is a better choice to take a little less and have a job that doesn't make us feel sick inside.
Exactly, you are starting to see that the wear and tear to your soul is starting to outweigh the financial benefits. You probably sense you could lose your sanity at a future date if you continue on. Don't worry, this is a good sign actually. It says you're actually still human. You have a soul. Too many these days completely obliterate their soul with alcohol, drugs, and material distractions (TV, making money their #1 priority) anything to keep them from having to face themselves. This is why in their twilight they are so bitter at the world. They feel cheated. But they cheated themselves because of the environment they were placed in and bought in to.
Find what you love. Forget money for the time being. If you're not tied down to debt (car payments, mortgage, credit card bills etc.) like most corporate workers are (those things are encouraged in the corporate environment, a way to lock you in for good), then you're in way better shape to break out.
If you don't know what you love, maybe you don't know yourself well enough yet. Take a break and Travel, it's not a waste of money. Its paying for part of your soul back. You'll be revitalized. The human brain is not unlike a battery this way. It needs to be recharged. It's power has been drained for other purposes that are obviously not fulfilling enough to you.
The best advice is to find what you are passionate about. What you feel you must do to feel good about yourself. And find outlets via that to make a living. This will usually be a step down financially but it's a severe upgrade in yourself and how you feel. You have now made the priority you, and not "the game." You've stepped outside of the box.
If you already have savings, I suggest creating passive income. I know an artist out in North California who used his savings from his corporate career to invest in wind power and other forms of green technology. He actually gets paid by companies to use the power he generates, and at the same time, he gets free power. He went into debt from this investment originally for the first year. But in that year it was paid off. Every year since he makes money. He doesn't "work" anymore. He paints, he makes films, creates music. He does what he wants. This is a pretty rash example as not everyone has money for something like turbine power technology but the method is the important part. Find a good investment and let your money work for you. Don't work for your money.
I feel the same way you do. I also work a corporate job and already making plans to leave one day. I have tons of money saved up, all of my debt paid off, not married and have no kids, and minimizing my bills. The only thing stopping me at this point is finding something else that is solid enough. I think people like you and I may be a good fit for doing something similar to what you did but in a different environment, such as freelancing, telecommuting, or contract type work where you are not nearly as engulfed in the office politics and have more freedom and flexibility.
A Business, but seems so difficult, and where to start?
The place to start is to properly learn about how to run a business. There are books, and seminars. But the most effective way is to find a mentor and learn from them. Of course, a business is a corporation...so learning from someone who owns one and then running one yourself would mean getting over this hatred you hold for corporations.
The whole business about fakery and backstabbing and contempt...it sounds like you have some personal issues you need to deal with. You are the only one responsible for your happiness. If you aren't happy, you can't blame your coworkers for that. No side business is going to compensate, nor is it going to break the cycle of using your coworkers as a scapegoat for everything.
The only way to beat *******s at work - is to simply out earn them - thats the only thing they really care about.
And why exactly do you care what they care about and why exactly do you want to "beat" them? I think maybe you aren't as different from "them" as you think.
Exactly, you are starting to see that the wear and tear to your soul is starting to outweigh the financial benefits. You probably sense you could lose your sanity at a future date if you continue on. Don't worry, this is a good sign actually. It says you're actually still human. You have a soul. Too many these days completely obliterate their soul with alcohol, drugs, and material distractions (TV, making money their #1 priority) anything to keep them from having to face themselves. This is why in their twilight they are so bitter at the world. They feel cheated. But they cheated themselves because of the environment they were placed in and bought in to.
Find what you love. Forget money for the time being. If you're not tied down to debt (car payments, mortgage, credit card bills etc.) like most corporate workers are (those things are encouraged in the corporate environment, a way to lock you in for good), then you're in way better shape to break out.
If you don't know what you love, maybe you don't know yourself well enough yet. Take a break and Travel, it's not a waste of money. Its paying for part of your soul back. You'll be revitalized. The human brain is not unlike a battery this way. It needs to be recharged. It's power has been drained for other purposes that are obviously not fulfilling enough to you.
The best advice is to find what you are passionate about. What you feel you must do to feel good about yourself. And find outlets via that to make a living. This will usually be a step down financially but it's a severe upgrade in yourself and how you feel. You have now made the priority you, and not "the game." You've stepped outside of the box.
If you already have savings, I suggest creating passive income. I know an artist out in North California who used his savings from his corporate career to invest in wind power and other forms of green technology. He actually gets paid by companies to use the power he generates, and at the same time, he gets free power. He went into debt from this investment originally for the first year. But in that year it was paid off. Every year since he makes money. He doesn't "work" anymore. He paints, he makes films, creates music. He does what he wants. This is a pretty rash example as not everyone has money for something like turbine power technology but the method is the important part. Find a good investment and let your money work for you. Don't work for your money.
Its not just losing my sanity in message above you have described - its being around these type of people who work in corporate jobs - many of then are soulless, cold, cynical and empty people - like there has been some sort of mass brainwashing going on by media and the workplace - somewhere along the line they have lost sense of who they are and their own personality, they have read one two many self improvement books, watch lots of TV, may take anti depressants - and at result is the self centered dehumanised oddball chaotic society/workplace we work in - where people outwardly display human characteristics and pretend to work for the team, but you know there not being themselves, and you can't really trust them.
No sense of dreams, ideas, thoughts or for that matter opinions on anything, or a little or no sense of humour, just a sort fake happy pollyana attitude - they have settled for many years of plodding away, and not getting anywhere and call it a career - just complete blandness, with no depth emotions or passions. Trying to have meaningful conversation with them is just impossible.
The more time your around these people, the more they seem normal, and you act like them. Ok not everyone is like this, but its becoming more commonplace to see this odd and sinister mindset which is taking over the world.
I find that many workplaces are like being some in oddball cult like such as a charismatic leadership, separation from community, and a demand for unwavering devotion to the company, no negative things are allowed to said about company, rule based on fear etc...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We all have to make choices. If we can make more money at a job we hate, we do it for the money. Of course, the higher pay comes with the territory. You very well may be working yourself into the grave. Sometimes, that higher paycheck just isn't worth it. For some folks, and you sound like one, it is a better choice to take a little less and have a job that doesn't make us feel sick inside.
