Make money doing the work you believe in
I took the investment banking offer because I was afraid.
Not of the job. Of what would happen if I went after the one I actually wanted — and they said no.
The bank was platinum. Prestigious. Safe. Nobody could question it.
What nobody saw was that I was hiding behind it.
Here's what I've learned since: the job search terrifies senior leaders not because it's hard, but because it's the one place where what actually matters to them is exposed.
Worthiness. Belonging. Being chosen by the place that counts.
That fear followed me from twenty to fifty. Through five industry shifts and two CEO roles.
Time doesn't dissolve it. Titles don't dissolve it.
The only way through is to stop letting it decide for you.
This week's essay took a bit more out of me to write and publish. If you've ever hidden behind a safe choice because the real one felt too risky — it's for you.
