Freedom can be scary

Freedom can be scary

After years of institutionalised education and employment, it is easy to feel lost without some externally imposed routine. Freedom can be scary and fear of it is a huge barrier to change.   “What else would I do?”  Recently, I’ve been nudging an old friend who has no...
How to work with a bad boss

How to work with a bad boss

People often ask ‘how to work with a bad boss or manager’. The short answer is that you don’t! There is no how. A bad boss is simply someone you should not tolerate. For, do you really deserve to be subjected to pain by someone who can hold arbitrary power...
Circularity of being employed

Circularity of being employed

The lower the minimum you need to live, the quicker you can meet it, and the easier it becomes to say NO to soul destroying work. But, this is true only if you value such freedom. The freedom to explore what inspires you. Beware the circularity of being employed just...
The relevance of degrees

The relevance of degrees

Paul Graham shared something recently, which I feel is an excellent heuristic for considering the relevance of degrees. “Avoid getting degrees in subjects whose best practitioners rarely have such degrees. E.g. many mathematicians have degrees in math, but an MFA...
Quality of your free time

Quality of your free time

One thing people often forget when they consider their jobs is how their roles affect their free time. I am not just talking about the amount of your free time, but also the quality of your free time. Your ability to make the most of it.  Noticing the relationship ...
Soul destroying work

Soul destroying work

Even if you accept lower pay, never accept soul destroying work, or a workplace that stifles you. If doing what you love is not achievable yet, at least find something ‘neutral’ that you don’t hate. You will free-up immense creative and emotional energy.  Is your pain...