Interesting article in Sunday’s New York Times (http://nytimes.com) by Prerna Gupta, former consultant and venture capitalist, now entrepreneur, on understanding what is truly rewarding in her life. She points out the great benefits of a big job at a top rated firm but also the psychic and real costs paid to maintain that lifestyle. Ultimately Prerna realized the money, prestige, and strong organizational structures were working against rather than for her and she made the difficult decision to launch out on her own. She and her husband have created a very popular music app for the iPhone yet their company continues not to be profitable. Here is an excerpt of how her challenges have shifted, yet how in the face of her current life she knows the rewards are worth the sacrifices:
“Yet, no matter how tough things get, I wake up every morning with renewed hope and excitement for what lies ahead. The fact that I am working on my passion gives meaning to even the most mundane tasks.
My future is perhaps more uncertain than it ever has been. I may end up wealthy, or I may earn barely enough to support myself. But the realization that I face a high likelihood of failure is not enough to send me back to the corporate cubicle.
Maybe I value my time more than my net worth. Maybe my fear of boredom outweighs my fear of failure. Or, maybe I have an irrational belief that I will succeed against all odds. Whatever it is, I find the risk of entrepreneurship to be not only worthwhile but also necessary for fulfillment. Work is no longer work. It is life, and a good one.”
Read the whole article here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/11/jobs/11pre.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=khush&st=cse
Which would you rather have: the rewards of prestige, certainty, money, a defined career path and future with the cons that your lifestyle is largely not under your own control? Or the cons of chaos, uncertainty and financial stress of being on your own, with the rewards of being your own boss, enjoying more control, and knowing that at the end of the day the achievements were yours alone?
We have heard all kinds of stories of people making tradeoffs for rewards they value. Women often give up stimulating careers to have more of themselves to devote to parenting. Others delay or decide against becoming parents because they fear the professional sacrifices required or prefer the rewards of a life dedicated to working. Some women choose their spouse based on wealth and other things they believe will bring them security, while others ignore needs for security and act more based on passions. When it comes to our own well-being, we make decisions every day about HOW we will go after a sense that all is well: will we spend time today exercising and and stick with healthy eating or will we feel good by reveling in other of life’s pleasures such as decadent food or pure relaxation? Or some combination?
Let us know what you think about the tradeoffs you make to get the rewards in your own life. Have you found a middle ground? What is the balance you live with and how is it working for you?
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