🖐️ The 5 × 5 rule
From The Rich Employee by James Altucher.
I was in Vienna on Thursday, October 29th, 2015. And the reason I know that is because I have this screenshot in my Evernote.
That's my Kindle e-reader, and the page is from the aforementioned book, The Rich Employee.
After the financial crisis following the 2008 crash, everyone was into entrepreneurship porn. Following waves of corporate layoffs, it was quite popular to bash the idea of big evil (American) corporations and go on your own. Some weren't laid off, and they decided to quit. It was the early 2010's version of The Great Resignation we've witnessed post-COVID.
I quit my 9-5 to become an entrepreneur, and now I work 27/7.
I knew it was a trap to go that way. I've had my share of first- and second-hand experience with entrepreneurship. It's worth going only if you're passionate about an idea. Trying to get rid of your boss or work less isn't really a good reason. It won't materialize.
I loved my Company. I loved the Team, our Partners, our Customers, the whole ecosystem. And I experienced joy in my work (I still do). They paid me well and fed my ambitions with new assignments, tasks, and promotions. So, instead of trying to escape, I decided to make the most of it by being the best employee this corporation has ever seen. Dedication and loyalty come naturally to me, so it wasn't that hard.
Some folks see working for the man as a problem. But if you have to do it for most of your life, then it's more of a gravity problem. It's a situation. Instead of fighting it (with no chance of winning), it's better to accept it and figure out how to make the most of it.
Design your life so that your employment serves you. Don't wait for the weekends, learn to enjoy the workdays. After all, those represent 5/7 of every week. Over 70%! Optimize for that, not for the 30%.
Where people make mistakes is getting a house far away from work, so they can be in nature or whatever, but they spend 70% of their days in long commutes and bad temper. And over the weekends, they don't really have the energy to enjoy those 30% of the week.
Success is living 10 minutes from work and 10 minutes from the gym. You'll realize that sooner or later.
As for The Rich Employee, I can sign Scott Galloway's thoughts in The Algebra of Wealth:
He argues that most startups fail, so the odds favour a corporate job. He suggests taking on entrepreneurial challenges inside the company instead.
It's easy to romanticize entrepreneurship. The greatest wealth creator in history is the U.S. corporation." He also said that "being skilled, patient, mature, politically savvy at a large corporation is an unbelievable underrated skill."
Peter Kos
