I Hope You Suffer! (and triumph)

I truly do hope you suffer.

Don't get me wrong, I DEFINITELY want you to succeed in the long run.

But my goodness am I grateful for the person and the leader I've become because of the hell I've marched through.

I know a lot of people coming into the new year unemployed (or underemployed) are going through their own hell right now, so I wanted to share my story and hopefully encourage you a bit.

Once upon a time ...

I moved my family across state lines for an opportunity I was really excited about. That opportunity quickly changed to a nightmare. I was working 12+ hour days consistently to try to meet the demands of the role while working for an abusive boss. But I put up with it because I was trying to put my family in a financial situation that we could thrive in.

A few months in my car ended up breaking down and, since we didn't have the money to fix it, I had to ride my bike 15 miles back and forth to work everyday, (which was each way and because of my schedule was usually in the dark.)

I often times would either barely make it in time to say goodnight to my son or miss it all together.

I was tired.

I was broken.

But I was determined.

However, the 12+ hour days and determination don't mean much once you get laid off.

I was devastated.

Not only did the 12+ hour days and dedication to get there on time while biking to work not pay off, but my wife was only a couple weeks out from giving birth to our 2nd son and I was now unemployed.

You know what the first thing I did was?

Forgive that boss.

Did he deserve it? Probably not.

Did I need the freedom that forgiveness brings? Absolutely.

I was still tired. I was still broken. But I was free.

The experience I had at that company coupled with the job search i was just thrust into, the hard years and 2 more cross state line moves that followed shaped me into the human centric leader I get to be today.

I've worked my butt off and still got laid off.

I've been broke without a car and had to figure out how to still get to work and interviews.

I've been mistreated and underemployed and poorly managed.

BUT ...

It's because of all of those things that I now GET to be the leader I wished I'd had all those years and hard nights.

It's because I suffered that I can shoulder so much more now.

So to those that are unemployed, underemployed, broke but still pushing ... I hope you shift your mindset in the midst of your suffering. I hope you forgive so you can obtain the freedom that comes along with that. And I hope your light at the end of that dark tunnel comes quickly.

As my dad always said, "When you're going through hell ... just keep marching" You've got this. This isn't the end. Just. Keep. Marching.

Your perseverance is forging a path to a future where you can be the leader, the mentor, the guide you wished you had during your toughest times.

Just.

Keep.

Marching.

From the Author:

Hey there, I'm Greg Johnson – AKA RecruitinGreg. I've navigated (and still am navigating) the wilds of career challenges and leadership, and I'm here to share those lessons with you.

In my newsletter, 'The People Pioneer', you'll get straight-up advice and insights on job search strategies, company culture, leadership, and much more – all with a dose of real talk and humor.

Want in on this? Subscribe now and let’s navigate the wilds together.