Working for Myself

I have worked with quite a few people at a variety of jobs in different places.

My experience includes working as an attorney, a criminal prosecutor. There are the courses I developed and taught as an adjunct professor. There are the corporations where I worked as an executive, both profit and nonprofit.

I have a varied background.

My work experience has given me opportunities to work with lots of people. Each of them taught me valuable lessons, gave me significant insights. Some of them were more enjoyable for me to work with than others. Some wanted to be micromanagers, some perfectionists, some encouraging, some inspiring. Some of them saw potential in me, while others had a different view.

The one thing that is true of every job in my experience is that I did not really work for anyone else. For as long as I can remember, I have worked for myself.

The work I do, and my approach to it, grow out of my own values and vision for myself. While my understanding may have changed over time, the significance of who I am has not.

Working for myself has some of the same challenges as working for other people. The guy I work for still does not really understand me, but I am learning to make allowances.

Working for myself has given me more opportunities to learn about my boss. Expectations and frustrations still get in the way, but learning makes things better.

Since I began practicing on my own life has been full of new lessons. It is exhilarating, and terrifying, to be responsible for my own operation. It is a adventure, a pilgrimage, a journey of discovery.

Do you work for yourself, or for someone else?

How has your appreciation for work changed in the last year?

[Image by Editor B]