My friend joined an international IT company as a Web Developer a few years ago. He felt that the salary was high and he enjoyed it at first.
But as he got older, he suddenly felt a sense of crisis. He told me that if he continues to sacrifice his physical and mental energy at this rate to make money, a health crisis is imminent to him at the age of 35.
Realising the crisis, he thought of transferring to other companies that do not require frequent overtime work. Eventually, he found these companies but he would have to settle for a 30% reduction in salary. No way.
He faced multiple dilemmas and trade-offs. Companies with attractive salary require more overtime work which makes no difference, while others have better work life balance in return for lower salary and he couldn’t accept it.
The truth is, he is perfectly capable of working overtime and continuing earning money the hard way. The problem is, is that sustainable? What if he collapses one day?
We all have a choice and it’s okay to earn money by hustling like no tomorrow. However, the problem is that hard-earned money is unsustainable in the long-run.
Constantly hustling and working overtime is not terrible in itself. Honestly, who hasn’t worked overtime and even forgot about sleeping and eating?
The danger lies in being blindly busy for a long time. It limits creativity and critical thinking, causing no time for personal development. These people become “machines” as time goes on, and “machines” will naturally become obsolete as they age.
Yes, many in their 20s and 30s utilise their physical and mental capacity to make more money while they can. But if you are a “machine” doing the same tasks every year, then you are destined to make hard-earned money for a lifetime and that’s the scary part.
Doing any work requires long-term planning. Don’t work hard for the sake of it, and your work should not be constant and routine-based. In the long-run, don’t ever settle on the sole method of earning money the hard way.
In the beginning, work hard by utilising your ample physical and mental capacity. But instead of being blindly busy like a machine, it is crucial utilise this time to build and accumulate your technical skills, management skills and network.
Only then will you be able to “work less for more” in the later stages. This is done by leveraging your resources to make money – whether it be your rich industry knowledge, accumulated Management experience, valuable connections, or strong and stable financial capabilities.
Take a step back, look farther and constantly plan your next move. Once you have a vision, constantly grow and upgrade yourself in an all-rounded way. You will then fulfill the meaning of life that you’ve defined, and stop earning money the hard way.
