I Got Fired From My 9–5 For Having a Medium Account
I was abruptly fired from a very nice 75k-a-year job
Fired. F-I-R-E-D.
For having a Medium account.
A “Conflict of interest.”
Bullshit. I always thought I’d get fired for rejecting my boss’s sexual urges but this was a new low. Now before I start begging to take your money…
This wasn’t my new job I’m working on Wall St.
I do hate that job, though. This was a few years ago while I was writing at my dream job in Baltimore.
Do you know how it feels to make $75,000 and now be unsure how you’ll pay the rent? Shit scared.
The Dangers of Side Hustling
You don’t have to play by the rules, but you have to play by the system.
It’s why you can’t get mad at the ass-kisser who never gets fired — they know the right buttons to push, and they know how the game works. Life isn’t a game; it’s a series of games. You get to pick which game you play, so don’t complain about the system once you’re in it.
I had never worked in a system as demanding as that 9–5 in Baltimore.
It was like working at a startup — long hours and devout deeply religious loyalty. “Be loyal to the company and you’ll never have to worry about money,” they said.
That was half true.
The other half is that you must be loyal to the “system” to keep your job. 1 in 6 US workers stays in unwanted jobs for health benefits. A job doesn’t make you an entrepreneur; it gives you a banal sense of security.
I learned that side hustling could be rewarding but it also comes with risks. If you’re not careful, you can lose everything in the blink of an eye.
It Only Happened Because My Medium Was Successful
They asked me so many trite insulting questions:
Can we use your blog to share news about the company?
Can you transfer followers to our site?
How can we share this with your following?
Um, how about no to all of those?
(I guess no doesn’t work for that last one.)
The truth is, I got in trouble only because my side hustle was successful. If I had failed, nobody would have even noticed. It would be “Sharknado 7.”
See, you didn’t even know there was a “Sharknado 7.”
This part hurt the most.
It’s so hard to establish your own voice, your own brand, or your own company and not lose some semblance of integrity from the invasiveness of an employer — especially as you start to succeed.
Never Give the Job Your All
You are seen as nothing more than a cog in the machine (unless you are bros with your boss) and wasting your energy trying to be a perfectionist who gives it their total effort.
You’ll burn out and it will all be for naught.
This happened to my ex-girlfriend who works at JP Morgan
They told her to work less. Less. JP Morgan. Another ex-girlfriend… I’ll paraphrase what her boss said: “Listen, we have a perpetual amount of work we can give you. We don’t want you to burn out.”
If a boss can’t respect your side hustles — or that you have a life or are trying to have one — maybe it’s not the job for you.
The less you give a shit, the more you’ll climb the ladder.
Did I Hit Rock Bottom?
Here’s where I was at: I lost a $75,000 job with benefits.
I lost my girlfriend.
I was scrambling to pay rent, no job wanted to hire me, I had this weird rash on my ass, and I had to rely entirely on volatile sources of income from my blog, newsletter, and freelance gigs.
Did I hit rock bottom…
Let me know in the comments below, and please like, subscribe and hit the notification bell too. Oh um…
I think not. There’s always further to go. Silver linings. There are so many things I’m proud of today, like interviewing a WEF member or qualifying for the NYC marathon. I’m glad I started side-hustling. If I didn’t and were fired for any other reason, I would probably be a bit lost and even more scared.
It’s called “getting your house in order.” The more diversified and fortified your skills and portfolio become the more freedom you unlock to be yourself.
In some ways, I was envious of my co-worker’s ability to focus on one thing and do it exceptionally well, but I soon realized it was a crutch.
Save your creative energy for a side hustle or business.
Formerly a corporate drone.
Are you still going into the army? Going from corporate drone to a military one?
Wow! That Effing sucks! You are very talented, it will their loss. I hope a more exciting door opens up for you. And this becomes a blessing.