In hierarchical organizations, there is an unspoken culture of social inequality. Reporting structures, pay scales, and customs all reflect this. Legitimate authority of office, i.e., the entitlement of the CEO to make decisions is accomplished in part by installing him as “the superior.”

Many would be (or even reluctant) entrepreneurs are motivated by a strong clash with this value system. Even a screaming, abusive customer that I “need” for the time being to meet my financial goals is not a “superior” before whom I must “assume the position.”

Ideally, a spouse is an EQUAL, a customer is an EQUAL, a supplier is an EQUAL — all connected by contracts that include a “meeting of the minds.” (In fact, a contract with no meeting of the minds can sometimes be voided.) Within an organization, the contract is essentially an agreement to henceforth be an inferior (subordinate.)

If you don’t want anybody telling you what to do:

1. Don’t get married

2. Don’t sign up for a loan

3. Don’t take on a contract

4. Don’t have any customers

… get it?

5. Do start a business because it is still the greatest opportunity to make money that you will ever see!

Instead of miserable, I think of stifled and other action verbs like thwarted, minimized, etc., though miserable does work as a nice counterpoint to the notion that the paycheck and health care are supposed to make us not miserable.

After reading Paul’s article I thought of your line and then thought, “I have a fancy title, steady paycheck and good benefits. Why is my brain turning to mush?”

I work for a relatively large organization and I can relate to what this article speaks to.

Within a corporation there are many “groups” and a lot of times these groups work independently of each other to achieve their common goal, which may not be in line with the goals of other groups. Processes are created so that groups can work together, but this just creates frustration because it strips away freedom from groups and individuals. For example, I have to go through certain processes and actions in order to get something done, but this doesn’t necessarily mean I agree with it or like doing it. It’s just how the company operates. Some people are fine with this because it is how all companies operate, but I find it quite depressing.

I was single and free of any obligations, so I bought books on it and got started, and now I’m learning the very important side of running a software company, communication. Which for some technically-oriented / geeky people like me are deficient in. But I’m doing well now and enjoy it very much! It’s a pleasure. Thanks so much for your podcast it helped a lot.

I’m contactable at techweb at iinet.com for web development anybody requires.

Take care and have a great Easter holidays.

Marlon

Have a great Easter weekend!

Amadou

That said, here’s a suggestin on the word “miserable”. What about asking, “What do I need to be more happy?” Not as pithy -but it puts the onus where it belongs. And seems to align with your beliefs about how people change.

Rosalind aka cicoach.com

“Aren’t I???” …nails on chalkboard…

I don’t think I’d include *that* particular grammar bomb in the first chapter of your book.

—

You are so right — I actually wrote it incorrectly, as I was dashing off a blog post before going to a fair with my family. The correct grammar *and* title of the chapter (which I am now reading from my book proposal to make sure I get it right) is “I have a fancy title, steady paycheck and good benefits. Why am I so miserable?”

Sorry for the “duh” moment — now corrected in the post.

-Pam