A colleague recently reminded me to

Don’t take it personally, it’s only your work.

I reflected on this as it’s impossible for me to not to take work personally, or at least not to feel failed when hardships occur at work.

Work, and the results of my work, define a large part of me. Work does satisfy my need of purpose. When the results of my work do not satisfy my simple reward system enough, I do take it personally. This reward system also rejects being fed with results that are against my ideology to do things rights and beneficial for humanity. Now, combine the two and see that unless things go perfectly and for good purpose, my reward system does not work.

For some others, related reward systems is more like “No-Face” from Spirited Away.

We are all carved out of different wood. Some wood are good for burning, others for building, and some make great paper. And not all wood floats.

Is it too late to switch careers? Is it too late for onlyfans? Is being a researcher satisfying? Does someone do anything real with MBA? Asking for a friend in his mid-thirties.