Confessions of a Corporate Sell-Out

Alright, I’ll admit, the title may be a bit click-baity. But I do have to confess; although I have worked at a corporate company my entire career, I’ve never once felt like a sell-out.

We typically use the term sell-out to describe creatives; those who sacrifice their authenticity or artistic integrity in return for popularity, fame, and money.?In a corporate sense, the phrase somehow feels even more soul-selling. Like you have bound your existence to something you have no ownership or personal stake in. You have forgone your innate passions for stability and comfort. You’ve taken the safe road. You’ve sold out.

My generation has an increasing glorification, near obsession, with entrepreneurs.?We put the cast of Shark Tank on a pedestal and watch Youtube Channels of business owners who preach the?Grindset?and?fuel the narrative that you will never make money (or be happy making it) if you aren’t working for yourself. Gary V reminds me every day that if I just woke up at 4am and put all my money in crypto, I’d already own a mansion in Malibu.?

We aren’t even allowed to have hobbies without gains anymore. If you aren’t monetizing your personal interests and passion projects, you’re missing out. If you love photography but don’t have an Etsy site to sell your pieces, you’re a fool. If you follow sports but don’t use MyBookie, why even catch the game? This heightened expectation for side hustles and multiple streams of income can make anyone my age feel like they are falling behind.?The typical desk job just isn't supposed to cut it anymore.

But here’s the thing about the corporate world: while it isn’t for?everyone?it is for some, even?most. And believe it or not,?I look forward to Monday mornings. I found a company with a purpose that aligns with my own values, and a role within that company that challenges my professional development, encourages my creativity, and at the end of the day, is fun. Not all of us would be the best version of ourselves in a start-up environment. The precedence, structure, and support that most corporate offices provide, allow us the space to feel safe to explore important facets of our professional lives. There is often built in mentorship, reliable pay structures, and the assistance and backing we need to achieve our business objectives. Without which, we wouldn’t feel as confident to take risks. Familiarity and routine, while for some can feel suffocating, for others can be the only way to flourish.??

In the early stages of my career hunt, I was convinced I wouldn't find fulfillment unless I worked in sports. I love athletics, so why not fill both my personal and professional lives with them? Wouldn't it give me the upper hand to work in the same arena of what I love and know best??After a short stint at a sports marketing start up, I noticed it started to deplete my love of the game. As the curtain was peeled back, I discovered aspects of the sports world that began to remove some of the magic.?The closer I got to the behemoth that is the NBA, NFL and other major leagues, the less inclined I was to turn on a game on the weekend.?I couldn't quiet the part of my brain thinking about how each big play, trade announcement, or jersey reveal, would impact my work week. If the boundaries of personal and work begin to blur, it can all start to land somewhere in the muddy middle.?What I soon realized, was as long as I found a company that granted me the flexibility to catch the Celtics on a Thursday night without a guilty feeling of missing work calls or emails, I could indulge in the sports world without it signing my weekly paycheck.

This all isn’t to say if you are a constant victim of Sunday scaries, have anxiety during your morning commute, and countdown the seconds until the weekend, all while daydreaming of a greater pursuit, that you shouldn’t put in your notice this moment and go chase what makes your heart explode.?But the slander against those climbing the ladder at big name companies and the assumption that everyone wearing a Deloitte vest is secretly miserable, needs to come to an end.?Let us make our career decisions without judgement, and put an end to the stigma of the corporate sellout, because some of us love and are real proud of what happens between 9 and 5.??

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