Leverage Your Job As Much As It Leverages You

Jay-Z has a sobering verse on Coldplay's Lost.

In it, he talks about how people won't hesitate to switch from being your ally to your enemy.

"With the same sword they knight you, they gon' Good Night you with," he raps.

The same thing that brings you up will eventually take you down. The same people that need your help can easily turn on you.

Some of my old co-workers from my first job were recently let go in a wave of job cuts. They were some of the hardest working people there. They were committed and helped build the company to what it is today.

And just like that, it was over.

I get it.

Moving from an employee to a freelancer to then running a business, job cuts, and firing people is a part of the process. But I still feel for my friends. Some devoted 15 years of their life to the business, and just like that; it was over.

We were all programmed to believe that we need to find a stable job and hold on for dear life until we turn 60 odd, then we can ride off into the sunset with back pain, arthritis, and a nice pension. But that programming was by design, to the advantage of businesses.

A business hires an employee and pays them for their time, with the expectation that the employee makes significantly for the company that the cost (salary). The thing is, our time is way more valuable than what we're being paid to do - at any level. That's the leverage for businesses.

Are jobs bad? Absolutely not. All we have is time and our skills, and we have to trade both of them to get the things that we want. Some people are happy with working at that job for the rest of their working career. But in today's world, that's too risky. Others know that they should be doing more with their time, want to create, move, and enjoy life. These are the people who butt heads at jobs or can't seem to hold down one. They aren't lazy or demotivated. It's a square peg in a round hole.

Whatever the reason, the old ways won't work anymore. Am I saying we should all leave our jobs before they fire us and go out on our own? Of course not. Some of us want to work in our fields for a long time. Others just aren't cut out for the entrepreneurial thing.

But we have to start being more intentional in our jobs. Things are changing faster than ever. Hitching our wagon to our job is dangerous. We need to leverage our jobs as much as they leverage our time. We need to maximize the benefits a job provides as much - and as often - as possible since it is not an equivalent exchange. Our jobs could be a vehicle to improve the quality of our lives, buy back our time, and become an asset:

• Invest part of your salary into asset-building vehicles.
• Use any 'free' employee assistance programs or mental health programs.
• Maximize your employee health plans. Even if you don't feel sick, do an Annual Wellness Check (same for your spouse or children on the plan)
• Max out any pension plans based on your country.
• Research ways your company can pay for your education. Look for courses that you can leverage to make more money or get promoted.
• Take advantage of loan programs so you can invest in assets (digital real estate, real estate, stocks, etc.)
• Negotiate for a remote day or a 4-day workweek.
• Get involved in company initiatives so you can network with high-influence people.

Most of all, you should have an exit strategy. You never know when your number is called at your job, and you need to clean out your desk. Yes, you can move to another job, but what you'll want at that time is options and the ability to respond, not react.

It's a business' job to leverage you. To maximize your output while minimizing the cost to do so. Make sure and do what you can to level the playing field.