This could not have come at a better time. My current work life is way more stressful than I’m comfortable with and I can feel the impacts on my physical body despite all my best efforts to exercise, get enough sleep, etc. I’m doing some reflecting on how much of myself I’m willing to give to my job long term and what changes I need to make sometime soon. Thanks for the short and sweet message. I’m going to write down this lesson and hang it up somewhere for me to see and remember.
I love, love, love this, Katie. Several years ago, I stumbled across a writer named Bob Sutton, who's a professor at Stanford Business School, and who’s written a shelf full of books on working in the corporate world.
He has a great list, “14 Things I Believe,” which encapsulate everything he’s learned from his career.
“Jimmy Maloney was right — work is an overrated activity.”
(I realize that may be a little mysterious, so I'm copying and pasting exactly what he wrote 😃 )
“I left this last point unexplained on my published lists and without any links until recently. Most readers got the message and only a few complained because I didn’t explore any nuances or talk about who the heck Jimmy Maloney was to me. But here is the background — which I always tell my class.
About 20 years ago, I spent many of my weekends and vacations racing sailboats with my boyhood friend Jimmy Maloney. He had a serious and stressful job, but was making good money. He and his wife Loretta still found a lot of time to spend with each other and their three young kids. But Jimmy and Loretta felt oppressed by the rat race. And at the strangest moments — 10 seconds before the start of a race, during complicated maneuvers such as tacks or jibes, or even the middle of a capsize — Jimmy would start bellowing “work is overrated” or “we are all suckers, most people wouldn’t work if they had a choice.” It wasn’t just hollow talk. Jim and Loretta quit their jobs, sold their house, bought a sailboat, and cruised with their kids for a couple years (Loretta is a schoolteacher, and she was very disciplined about teaching each kid the material required by their California school district). The family eventually landed in New Zealand, where they raised their kids. They work just enough to support a modest but healthy life. All three kids grew up to be great sailors too. In fact, their daughter Alex won a silver medal in the 2016 Olympics and his son Andy sailed on the New Zealand boat that just won the America’s Cup in 2017.
I like to end my class with that story because I am so focused on the workplace in my writings and research, and the students I teach at Stanford are such extreme overachievers, that it is useful to remind them (and myself), as Jimmy would put it, that “work is an overrated activity.”
First, if we don't engage in life, what will we have to write about?
Second, we owe it to ourselves to enjoy these kinds of moments with family. Once they are history, they are gone.
Finally, and yes I am unashamedly pushing a concept, when we learn to lead from our Heart Mind (purpose and compassion), generally good things follow. Its the foundation of wise decision-making.
Bravo Katie - well done on your choice and awareness 😍
Thanks, Aggie!
This could not have come at a better time. My current work life is way more stressful than I’m comfortable with and I can feel the impacts on my physical body despite all my best efforts to exercise, get enough sleep, etc. I’m doing some reflecting on how much of myself I’m willing to give to my job long term and what changes I need to make sometime soon. Thanks for the short and sweet message. I’m going to write down this lesson and hang it up somewhere for me to see and remember.
I’m sorry you’re in such a stressful stage right now! I know what that feels like. I hope you’re able to make some changes soon!
I love, love, love this, Katie. Several years ago, I stumbled across a writer named Bob Sutton, who's a professor at Stanford Business School, and who’s written a shelf full of books on working in the corporate world.
He has a great list, “14 Things I Believe,” which encapsulate everything he’s learned from his career.
(You can see his full list here: https://medium.com/@bobsutton/14-things-i-believe-updated-for-2018-4ad1602c106d)
My favorite is the last item on his list:
“Jimmy Maloney was right — work is an overrated activity.”
(I realize that may be a little mysterious, so I'm copying and pasting exactly what he wrote 😃 )
“I left this last point unexplained on my published lists and without any links until recently. Most readers got the message and only a few complained because I didn’t explore any nuances or talk about who the heck Jimmy Maloney was to me. But here is the background — which I always tell my class.
About 20 years ago, I spent many of my weekends and vacations racing sailboats with my boyhood friend Jimmy Maloney. He had a serious and stressful job, but was making good money. He and his wife Loretta still found a lot of time to spend with each other and their three young kids. But Jimmy and Loretta felt oppressed by the rat race. And at the strangest moments — 10 seconds before the start of a race, during complicated maneuvers such as tacks or jibes, or even the middle of a capsize — Jimmy would start bellowing “work is overrated” or “we are all suckers, most people wouldn’t work if they had a choice.” It wasn’t just hollow talk. Jim and Loretta quit their jobs, sold their house, bought a sailboat, and cruised with their kids for a couple years (Loretta is a schoolteacher, and she was very disciplined about teaching each kid the material required by their California school district). The family eventually landed in New Zealand, where they raised their kids. They work just enough to support a modest but healthy life. All three kids grew up to be great sailors too. In fact, their daughter Alex won a silver medal in the 2016 Olympics and his son Andy sailed on the New Zealand boat that just won the America’s Cup in 2017.
I like to end my class with that story because I am so focused on the workplace in my writings and research, and the students I teach at Stanford are such extreme overachievers, that it is useful to remind them (and myself), as Jimmy would put it, that “work is an overrated activity.”
I love this! Thank you for sharing, Terrell. Now I want to go bellow this somewhere!
Thank you for sharing this!
100%
You definitely made the right choice. And the brevity of this post reinforces the lesson perfectly.
Happy birthday to Billy!
Thank you! He had a great day!
This fits so perfectly with the week I am currently having, thanks Katie!
Great decision Katie.
You make me think of three things.
First, if we don't engage in life, what will we have to write about?
Second, we owe it to ourselves to enjoy these kinds of moments with family. Once they are history, they are gone.
Finally, and yes I am unashamedly pushing a concept, when we learn to lead from our Heart Mind (purpose and compassion), generally good things follow. Its the foundation of wise decision-making.
I look forward to more!
Best wishes
Gary
Thank you for sharing your wisdom, Gary!
My pleasure.
I wasn’t born wise but I came to realise how we each can make slightly wiser everyday decisions a little more often. They add up!
Bravo! Be proud of yourself! I applaud you!
You’re so kind, Lori!
All the yes to that choice — and I struggle with it too!
Glad to know I’m not alone! It’s such a struggle.
Applauding you for your choice!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Thanks, Amy! ❤️