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The Two Ways of Life
The difference between the public and private sectors is bigger than you think
Back in the day, I was often invited by schools to give a motivational talk to kids who were deciding on their career path. My message was this: to achive success and happiness it takes more than just figuring out what you want to do in life, it is equally important to understand how you want to do it. There is more than one way of being a photographer, a translator or even a construction worker, and it all has to do with what kind of risks you prefer to take. There are two ways to go about your professional life!
Not all risks we face in life are the same. Some bring much greater potential gains than losses (convex) and some the opposite; larger losses than gains (concave). Let’s unpack that.
For example; you might decide to become slightly more social and spend a little more time on each encounter (your cashier, mailman, a beggar on the street, etc). Each such instance will cost you only a few extra sentences on conversation, but it might lead you to places you’d never experience otherwise. Perhaps your cashier plays in a band and she’ll invite you to her concert in the evening, maybe you’ll meet a new friend or find a whole new career. In any case, the potential benefit vastly outweighs the small costs of just being polite…
