After Escaping the Trap, Here Are the Biggest Myths We Are Told About a 9–5 Job.

And the shockingly simple maths to starting your own business

In 2022, I created my own niche one-person consulting business. I’ve just crossed the six-figure mark and am on my way to multiple six-figures in revenue.

Since leaving the rat race of the 9–5, I feel like Neo when he was pulled from the matrix.

I now can’t unsee the bullsh*t associated with most 9–5 jobs.

I hope to never work a full-time 9–5 again. Unless it's my own business, a start-up I believe in or a skillset I want to learn.

I might one day do a mixture of part-time work and entrepreneurship. But I would never rely on a job for my source of income and I would carefully vet who I worked for.

We are living in the permissionless creator economy. We have all the tools at our disposal to monetize content and create low-cost, no-inventory businesses based on our unique knowledge, skill stack and networks.

Our parent’s generation didn’t have this opportunity.

Their journey was full of barriers and gatekeepers. They constantly had to ask permission to learn new skills (college), get a raise (employers) and then retire with a pension (government).

Solopreneurship is now a viable pathway. You can create a business that serves your lifestyle and way of working. No more waking up just to show your face at 9:00 am.

The maths is shockingly simple:

The biggest myth is...

… the workplace is a meritocracy.

Nope.

Raises and promotions are often dictated by closed-door meetings and who you get drinks with after 5:00 pm on Friday (or whose house you sleep at when you travel to the head office).

You can work hard and be smart all you like. It probably won’t change much.

Despite bringing in the majority of revenue and managing a laundry list of long-term clients, I had to beg, borrow and steal for a promotion and a raise.

The saddest part is seeing a colleague who produces poor quality work get promoted because they know how to schmooze with the boss.

I’ve had numerous people complain about their quality of work. And even about them as a person. Someone I know is even trying to cancel a big contract with them. But nothing seemed to change.

When I asked questions about how the decision-making process for promotions was made, all I was told was that “promises were made to people and I had to keep them.”

Yikes. What a way to ruin the morale of a high performer and the culture of a team. I should have quit then and there.

Stop being naive. Workplaces are never neutral. They are a political arena.

You can learn to play the game, change the game or leave the game.

I chose the latter and haven’t looked back since.

Having a job means accepting this reality

A job will never pay you what you’re worth.

That’s just a reality.

Job = Just Over Broke.

“Workers work hard enough to not be fired, and owners pay just enough so that workers won’t quit.” — Robert Kiyosaki.

As an employee, you rent space in the economy. You’re a disposable cog and will be replaced. Just look at how many businesses laid off staff despite declaring enormous profits during the pandemic.

If you were lucky to keep your job, your salary increases (if you got one at all) barely outpace inflation or interest rates. You are literally losing money every year.

Now that I’ve got my own business, I raise my rates every quarter. I have too many options for clients and work. I can’t really get fired. And if I did, I have a list of clients waiting to work with me.

Ironically, when I started saying ‘no’ more often and putting up my price, more people wanted to work with me, not less.

It’s strange psychology. People always want to work with others who are in demand. If you want to be paid what you’re worth, the only option is to work for yourself or start your own business.

“You should ALWAYS end on good terms.”

Don’t look to burn bridges, but don’t burn yourself trying to mend them either.

My time at my old 9–5 job didn’t end on the best of terms.

I regret how it ended and for so long, I held a lot of guilt around what happened.

I tried to mend bridges and apologize. But after a while, I started to think why do I even bother? They seemed to be looking for any reason or excuse to be offended.

I have less time for people who are easily offended or overly sensitive.

I had a manager who would cry if she got constructive feedback or my honest opinion.

Most of the clients I work with have been for the long-term (3–5 years +). I know that I am not an asshole to work with. Nor am I a bad person.

I wouldn’t be able to maintain such strong working relationships for such a long time if that were the case.

While I would encourage you to end on good terms, sometimes it isn’t possible.

If your working relationship can’t survive a difficult time, it probably wasn’t a very strong one to begin with.

Get some therapy. Talk about it. Maybe have a good cry.

Then move on. Some bridges are better left unfixed.

Most people are competent at their jobs.

Only 13% of employees worldwide are engaged at work, according to Gallup’s new 142-country study on the State of the Global Workplace

That means 87% of the workforce isn’t engaged in their work.

They usually:

Don’t give a sh*t
Don’t have the skillset
Don’t have the will

Competent people realize this and start their own businesses.

I have more respect for entrepreneurs and small business owners. I know how hard it is to be one. I surround myself with people who have a business mindset, not stuck with an employee mindset.

Most people will never be entrepreneurs. They are uncomfortable with the level of uncertainty, risk, and accountability required to be one.

Being an entrepreneur and being an athlete are very similar. It’s black and white. You either win or lose. There’s no grey or ambiguity. You are either winning or losing.

Starting your own business is risky

Our economy has fundamentally changed.

The safe option previously was to be like everyone else.

The safe option now is to be uniquely yourself.

Through the internet, you can escape competition just by being yourself. Authenticity is the strongest value proposition.

Whether you love or hate Joe Rogan, he is uniquely himself. He has built a brand and the largest podcast in the world because people like him for being him. He is irreplaceable and isn’t competing with anyone else.

Depending on one income, relying on one organization, and having to beg for a raise is the riskiest proposition I can think of.

Starting a no inventory and low-cost business has never been easier before. You can start a niche six-figure consulting business with nothing but a laptop, WIFI and half a brain.

Let’s end with the biggest myth…

“This business is a safe space for everyone.”

LOL. Cute. But no.

You can’t be fully yourself at work if you work in a team bigger than 10+ people.

Every organization you work for has a culture and an unspoken logic.

If you don’t abide by these secret rules, the people and org will reject you like a bad organ transplant.

Nowadays, if you’re not woke enough, you’re out. You can’t have a dissenting opinion or unpopular view. You need to signal enough of your virtue to be accepted.

Most meetings are spent patting each other on the back about how good and moral we are that nothing difficult ever gets discussed or talked about.

What does this mean for you?

If you want to create a more intentional life…

If you want to align yourself with clients and people who value you...

If you want to escape the 9–5 and build something meaningful…

Solopreneurship has never been easier.

Start now.

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