The Corporate Life!

It feels great to be a part of a multinational, definitely most of the time. It gives you the opportunity to work with the best and the brightest not only nationally but internationally, sets your pulse racing when you are on an exciting high visibility assignment, immense joy when you have delivered with quality and on time, there is a thrill to have successfully pleased a difficult client. There’s no greater happiness when your work is appreciated and rewarded. Great way to work yourself into an intellectual orgasm!

Additionally, there is pleasant networking at five star hotels, business class travel to various countries and an annual off-site with the team. Not to forget, the money is good too. Good enough to pay for the lovely designer clothes, the shiny shoes, Parisian perfumes, fancy bags, foreign vacations and whatever luxury money can buy. Who said money can’t buy happiness?

However, the job we have is often not just a job, it is not just a source of earning money. It is definitely much bigger than that. It forms a part of our identity, it is a part of our life, a large part of your day, every day and an important part of who you are. You would notice this clearly while introducing yourself to people outside your work circle. Some people would even feel a loss of identity or status if they did not hold the position they do.

On this career marathon you meet lots of people, some become good friends with whom you share your joys, sorrows and office gossips. Some are acquaintances, some familiar faces. And then of course there are your bosses. You may have noticed how they have an impact on your life and even the life of your family members, positive as well as negative. I believe we learn from all of them, in the form of skills and behaviours. From some we learn what to do and from others what not.

While you are in it, mind, body, heart and soul, it feels wonderful, but the moment you are disengaged, the corporate dream starts to crumble. If you ever have a chance to distance yourself from the corporate life you may start to look at it more critically and it begins to lose its sheen. The jargon, the words in fashion that once became a part of your lingo, the fake polite “How are you?” the performance appraisal system that forces the majority to be mediocre, the race for a promotion, strive to meet an important deadline even if it meant missing a birthday or family gathering.

Yesterday, I read in a post “Life is too short for a full-time job. Too short, and too precious.” and it definitely struck a chord. It made me realize how I had missed out on some beautiful things in life because I was busy working. Do give yourself the opportunity to explore your full potential if you think that you have some unexplored capabilities, maybe a long lost interest, a hidden desire or a secret wish you have locked up in some corner of your heart. I am not suggesting that you leave your job, but do give yourself a chance to fulfil those dreams. You know best how to work it out.

Grass in the corporate garden is definitely green but the other side is definitely greener. It’s got some flowers too and you have the luxury of time to smell them.

 

If you are interested in the post I mentioned, here is the link: http://qz.com/241043/i-quit-working-full-time-years-ago-heres-why-i-recommend-it-highly/