I’d be a crappy barista. My brother owns a coffee shop and the energy there would exhaust me in 60minutes. But this remote job where I work from
home answering phones and texts and keeping notes on customer needs is perfect for me. I get to do just enough peopling and not use my creative brain for two hours a day.
I wholeheartedly agree that I don't want to go backward. Why would I want to do that when forward progress is challenging enough? But in this case, "backward" was a way to move forward. Your lesson here is full of wisdom.
sometimes you have to take a half step back to get a better anchor for the big leap forward you’re gonna take. I remember being a kid and going backwards to get a running start.
This post was very relatable. As someone who worked for others for most of my life, I have also felt like I was doing insanely valuable work for little income. When the opportunity knocked to go out alone, I was sure I could figure it out. It's been a hard journey, and I often thought about taking one of those lower-paying jobs. I even applied to Starbucks, thinking it would be fun and get me out of the house. Working for someone else while building our own business is a smart choice for many. It eliminates many of the struggles we face being in our heads all day trying to figure out all the magic puzzle pieces. I love this suggestion to free up our minds and bring us towards new opportunities that we would never otherwise realize.
I worked a typical employee job for 10 years. I always got frustrated with how the systems weren't effective or efficient and I wasn't allowed to change them (I was a high school teacher). so when I got pink-slipped, I went solopreneur and never looked back. I love being able to call all the shots.
and it's hard to be the only.
Those two jobs I did take, I had the same issue, I wanted to fix all the efficiency issues. And I was taken advantage of.
so when I took this mundane job and committed to letting it be mundane, everything shifted. It's magick!
I appreciate you sharing your journey! I dislike how nowadays, (in the self help community particularly) there's an undertone of judgement for choosing jobs that are "9-5 mediocre." "You're feeding the system! You're selling out to The Man!" "Don't do that; just discover your life purpose and never work a day in your life; work on your laptop on the beach!"
I especially think there's an attitude similar to what you shared - "that job is *beneath* me!"
Which...let's not even begin to unpack the self-righteous/privilege associated with that....
But in reality, I love how the "brainless" job actually helped your creative juices! Sometimes I think about quitting my day job (it does have a lot of freedom, but I am expected to think) in favor of some small job stocking shelves, returning to retail, or being a coffee barista...just so I'd be able to have clearer definitions around my work from home day job and the business I'm building on the side...
Either way, lots to think about here!
P.s: sorry I haven't been on ANY of your posts lately! I'm so behind with my reading!
I’ve spent 25 years as a solopreneur. And it took me all those years to find this sweet spot of this PT left brain job to balance with my FT right brain job.
And for so long I felt like it would be selling out, distracting my focus, and “beneath” me. Damn, it’s so fulfilling!
This is exactly the message I needed to here. I'm trying to figure out what I'll do for work while I build my writing business. I have felt too proud to have a "regular" job after leaving my fantsy-pants career which no longer suits me. Right now I'm substitute teaching and I am feeling burned out and sad... for a little less pay I could probably have something that will be more emotionally sustaining. Thank you for giving me the courage to go for a just-enough paycheck. I'm going to figure this out, so I can eat and write!
I love how you highlight the unexpected benefits of your 'mundane' job – the camaraderie, the rediscovery of dormant skills, and the mental space it created. It makes me wonder, could it be that these 'mundane' jobs, the ones that don't demand our constant mental energy, actually allow our subconscious to process and problem-solve? Maybe they're the fertile ground where creativity can truly blossom.
I feel a bit stuck in those types of jobs. I am an excellent above average (in mine and I believe my supervisors opinions) but it’s hard to move into the “I’m an expert” type mindset always working for someone else. I have daydreamed about having my own business without ever being able to put a finger on what I want to do for that business. But I do know that even if I had that dream business I think I would still want to do those “mundane” jobs at least some of the time because I can do them well even on auto pilot. It gives my mind time to rest while still doing something enjoyable and “productive” if even for someone else. And like you said “get out of hyper focus “. You also gave me an amazing idea to research, a software migration consultant! That sounds like it’s up my alley. Thanks I always enjoy your perspectives 🌼🪶
There are so many small mom-pop businesses out there that need tech-help when they don’t like the software they are using or it isn’t working for them anymore. Migration is a major headache. And if they are analog going to software it’s an even bigger shift. It’s a much needed business.
my husband has specialized in this at the state government level. He is an independent contracter who gets state government contracts helping the small agencies find and implement the right software. It’s a big job. and someone needs to do it.
So glad you wrote this. I dip in and out of writing full time. More times than not it's the times I have a way to pay my bills outside of writing that leads to my best work.
something about Substack (and getting to know you) brought my “expectations” about how I should earn a living as a creator out of the unrealistic and brought me into a space of curiosity about what could happen, and now things are open wide for me. So cool!
Definitely relate to having a job that pays the essentials so solopreneur stuff doesn't feel squashed by pressure. And having work friends! Eesh it's good to chat to people IRL ❤
I hit that magick place with this one. A company I believe in, owners who take care of their staff, it doesn’t keep me up at night, I can turn it off when I log out, and it opens up brain space and creative space for my solopreneur ventures.
I love how everyone on Substack has dreams of being a barista. I do too, but only to make about 10 beverages a day 😂
I get really easily burnt out. Substack has been really healing for me.
I’d be a crappy barista. My brother owns a coffee shop and the energy there would exhaust me in 60minutes. But this remote job where I work from
home answering phones and texts and keeping notes on customer needs is perfect for me. I get to do just enough peopling and not use my creative brain for two hours a day.
I wholeheartedly agree that I don't want to go backward. Why would I want to do that when forward progress is challenging enough? But in this case, "backward" was a way to move forward. Your lesson here is full of wisdom.
sometimes you have to take a half step back to get a better anchor for the big leap forward you’re gonna take. I remember being a kid and going backwards to get a running start.
Ha, that's a terrific analogy to which we can all relate.
This post was very relatable. As someone who worked for others for most of my life, I have also felt like I was doing insanely valuable work for little income. When the opportunity knocked to go out alone, I was sure I could figure it out. It's been a hard journey, and I often thought about taking one of those lower-paying jobs. I even applied to Starbucks, thinking it would be fun and get me out of the house. Working for someone else while building our own business is a smart choice for many. It eliminates many of the struggles we face being in our heads all day trying to figure out all the magic puzzle pieces. I love this suggestion to free up our minds and bring us towards new opportunities that we would never otherwise realize.
I worked a typical employee job for 10 years. I always got frustrated with how the systems weren't effective or efficient and I wasn't allowed to change them (I was a high school teacher). so when I got pink-slipped, I went solopreneur and never looked back. I love being able to call all the shots.
and it's hard to be the only.
Those two jobs I did take, I had the same issue, I wanted to fix all the efficiency issues. And I was taken advantage of.
so when I took this mundane job and committed to letting it be mundane, everything shifted. It's magick!
I appreciate you sharing your journey! I dislike how nowadays, (in the self help community particularly) there's an undertone of judgement for choosing jobs that are "9-5 mediocre." "You're feeding the system! You're selling out to The Man!" "Don't do that; just discover your life purpose and never work a day in your life; work on your laptop on the beach!"
I especially think there's an attitude similar to what you shared - "that job is *beneath* me!"
Which...let's not even begin to unpack the self-righteous/privilege associated with that....
But in reality, I love how the "brainless" job actually helped your creative juices! Sometimes I think about quitting my day job (it does have a lot of freedom, but I am expected to think) in favor of some small job stocking shelves, returning to retail, or being a coffee barista...just so I'd be able to have clearer definitions around my work from home day job and the business I'm building on the side...
Either way, lots to think about here!
P.s: sorry I haven't been on ANY of your posts lately! I'm so behind with my reading!
Hi Niki! Good to see you here!
I’ve spent 25 years as a solopreneur. And it took me all those years to find this sweet spot of this PT left brain job to balance with my FT right brain job.
And for so long I felt like it would be selling out, distracting my focus, and “beneath” me. Damn, it’s so fulfilling!
25 years! Wow! That gives me so much hope; it's good to know i don't need to rush. I'm happy you found a work flow that works for you!
Megan is the bestest!
This is exactly the message I needed to here. I'm trying to figure out what I'll do for work while I build my writing business. I have felt too proud to have a "regular" job after leaving my fantsy-pants career which no longer suits me. Right now I'm substitute teaching and I am feeling burned out and sad... for a little less pay I could probably have something that will be more emotionally sustaining. Thank you for giving me the courage to go for a just-enough paycheck. I'm going to figure this out, so I can eat and write!
Aunt Jamey, I’m so glad you heard it!
I loved this Teri: “I stopped being perfectionistic about my business and started having genuine fun and joy with it.”
I love the contribution you are to yourself and to others through your new cohort. You have a lovely magnetic energy about you. 😁
Interesting, in the last few weeks I have been using the affirmation “I am magnetic”…cool that you picked out that exact word.
Such a fun, delight-filled read.
I love how you highlight the unexpected benefits of your 'mundane' job – the camaraderie, the rediscovery of dormant skills, and the mental space it created. It makes me wonder, could it be that these 'mundane' jobs, the ones that don't demand our constant mental energy, actually allow our subconscious to process and problem-solve? Maybe they're the fertile ground where creativity can truly blossom.
for me, this particular mundane job gave me that brain space in truly magickal ways. it is the perfect situation for me.
I feel a bit stuck in those types of jobs. I am an excellent above average (in mine and I believe my supervisors opinions) but it’s hard to move into the “I’m an expert” type mindset always working for someone else. I have daydreamed about having my own business without ever being able to put a finger on what I want to do for that business. But I do know that even if I had that dream business I think I would still want to do those “mundane” jobs at least some of the time because I can do them well even on auto pilot. It gives my mind time to rest while still doing something enjoyable and “productive” if even for someone else. And like you said “get out of hyper focus “. You also gave me an amazing idea to research, a software migration consultant! That sounds like it’s up my alley. Thanks I always enjoy your perspectives 🌼🪶
There are so many small mom-pop businesses out there that need tech-help when they don’t like the software they are using or it isn’t working for them anymore. Migration is a major headache. And if they are analog going to software it’s an even bigger shift. It’s a much needed business.
my husband has specialized in this at the state government level. He is an independent contracter who gets state government contracts helping the small agencies find and implement the right software. It’s a big job. and someone needs to do it.
So glad you wrote this. I dip in and out of writing full time. More times than not it's the times I have a way to pay my bills outside of writing that leads to my best work.
something about Substack (and getting to know you) brought my “expectations” about how I should earn a living as a creator out of the unrealistic and brought me into a space of curiosity about what could happen, and now things are open wide for me. So cool!
Definitely relate to having a job that pays the essentials so solopreneur stuff doesn't feel squashed by pressure. And having work friends! Eesh it's good to chat to people IRL ❤
I hit that magick place with this one. A company I believe in, owners who take care of their staff, it doesn’t keep me up at night, I can turn it off when I log out, and it opens up brain space and creative space for my solopreneur ventures.