Chasing the Inner Ring

This post is part two of a three part series I'm writing. You can click here for part one.

So after having a beer with my mentor, I launched into this crazy mental self-evaluation. Sort of dealing with my old popularity issues in high school and how it's re-emerged now that I'm climbing up the corporate ladder. Here's the gist of what he said, but you can catch the rest of my thoughts and strugles on my post.


“Corporate loves guys like you; young, ambitious, driven, and…. impressionable. They pull you in and place the whole world on front of you. You don’t realize this yet, but it becomes a shackle, a sort of ball and chain”

He brought his hands up to my neckline and closed an imaginary shackle around my throat. I looked down and envisioned an iron chain that connected to a small cannon ball on the floor.

“As time goes on they throw in some nice promotions, pay increases, bonuses. You feel good and you want more. So they give it to you. Soon, you’re married and have kids so you need to throw that into the mix as well. You have obligations, responsibility and it begins to weigh heavy on your shoulders. You don’t notice it at first, but your ball and chain begins to grow…

It gets bigger (wow, I can afford that Lexus I’ve always wanted)…

and bigger (my wife wants to move into a four bedroom house)…

and bigger (the VP position is open and they’re considering my name)…

Before you know it you’re grasping with your arms and legs, you’re holding onto this gigantic ball for dear life, and you’re praying to god no one takes it away from you.”