Book 108 - A Year of Magical Learning

Reflection Title: Why Not Both?

Book – Free Agent Nation: The Future of Working for Yourself by Daniel Pink

Book Description: Widely acclaimed for its engaging style and provocative perspective, this book has helped thousands transform their working lives. It's about fulfillment - A revolution is sweeping America. On its front lines are people fed up with unfulfilling jobs, dysfunctional workplaces, and dead-end careers. Meet today's new economic icon: the free agent-men and women who are working for themselves. And meet your future. It's about freedom - Free agents are the marketing consultant down the street, the home-based "mompreneur," the footloose technology contractor. Already 30 million strong, these 21st-century pioneers are creating lives with more meaning-and often more money. Free Agent Nation is your ticket to this world.

Reflection:

First off, my hats off to Daniel Pink for his work on this book. It was written over 20 years ago, and almost every work trend he predicted back in 2001 is truly in full swing in our world today. It was so spot on that you would think that he wrote it within the last few years. With the advancement in technology and the pandemic to push us over the edge, more and more people are choosing the path of the freelancer and free agent to make a living vs. the traditional corporate environment. I totally get the appeal!

I work at a large corporation, and I don’t love it. I feel like I’m just another number and they don’t know me at all. I know their mission and core values…they practically beat me over the head with it every day. Sadly, that isn’t reciprocal. No one there has ever asked me about my personal core values, why, purpose, or mission. They don’t care, and that is the problem. It is this lack of inability to connect individual values to jobs these corporations need done that makes work often feel meaningless and drives people to want to go the free agent route. Meaningful work is a fundamental human need that everyone deserves to experience. Don’t get me wrong, working at a large corporation isn’t all doom and gloom. In exchange for me having to check my values and mission at the door, I get the security of a steady paycheck, valuable marketplace skills and training, and the privilege of belonging to a community of talented people. Security and Community are also fundamental human needs and corporations do a great job in this world.

On the other side of the coin, the free agent lifestyle has massive appeal but a lot of limitations as well. While I’ve never fully went total free agent in my career, I’ve tried on the side in various areas of my life. I’ve tried to start my own venture 3 times now, I’ve written a book and working on another, I mentor people, I run a non-profit, etc. All of these activities align directly with my core values, mission, and I love every second of them. I will work all day long with a smile on my face because it is meaningful and fulfilling. It is also lonely and risky. That is the downside of the free agent lifestyle. You miss the security and meaningful relationships. You miss your colleagues, you miss feeling like you are in the trenches with others, you miss watching people grow and develop, and you miss not having to worry about keeping your family fed and a roof over their heads.

So, my question is…why can’t we have both? This is the beautiful question that will keep me engaged for the rest of my life. This is the question that I have been working on with my co-founder, Trieu, for the past 18 months. We’re having a blast trying to figure out a balanced hybrid model that will allow people to still keep the security and community of the traditional corporate world (meaningful relationships) while not sacrificing people’s personal values and missions (meaningful work). That is what we are calling ClubAny! ClubAny is our infinite game and quest to find and live a balanced existence between meaningful work and meaningful relationships.

We are on to something, but still have a lifetime of work to do. Stay tuned as we just might change the world?

Question: How do you find balance with meaningful work and meaningful relationships in your life?

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Links:

What is The Year of Magical Learning? An Introduction

YOML Podcast Discussion - Free Agent Nation

YOML Bookstore - Free Agent Nation: The Future of Working for Yourself by Daniel Pink