Love It or Leave It

Dropped Aug 28th, 2010 by Ted Murphy

41 Comments

I have a confession. I have a lot of gray hair. I mean A LOT. I get my hair cut every two weeks so that gray wires don’t stick out from the side of my head. In the morning when I have some fresh product in my hair it is disguised, but towards the end of the work day those little bastards always make an appearance. I have no doubt that my life as an entrepreneur has accelerated this process.

It is stressful running a company. There are constant ups and downs. Team members, clients and luck come and go. I never stop thinking about work. Ever.

I could probably have an easier life. I could probably punch a clock at some big organization, flying under the radar and collecting a paycheck. I could probably have long brown hair, sleep 8 hours a day and take up origami. But I don’t.

I Love My Job

I don’t know how to make a paper unicorn because despite all the challenges I love my job. I love the brilliant, zany, completely unpredictable people I work with. I love creating solutions to problems. I love putting smiles on customer’s faces. I love the constantly changing technology landscape. Yes, it is stressful. But it is stressful because I care so much. I care about the people. I care about the products. I want everything to be perfect. I think about it constantly because I am so excited by the potential.

tedandashley

You Gotta Love It Too

A few months ago I did something pretty radical. I gathered every IZEA team member in a room and made a simple proposition – If your heart isn’t at IZEA and your not going to bust your butt for your fellow team members I will cut you a check and you can graciously bow out. A few team members took the offer. While I was sad to see them go I believe it was a good move for each of us. We left on good terms, and while were weren’t a perfect match long term, they cared enough to wrap things up in the right way. I wish them the best, I want them to find the job that truly inspires and excites them each day.

That was the start of my love it or leave it management policy. From hiring to retention I am trying to surround myself with people that are passionate about the organization and their role in it. They may not like every aspect of their job throughout the day, but at the end of the day they need to love what they do. They need to see the vision, care about their fellow team mates and bend over backwards to satisfy customers. It should be personal. It should mean something beyond a paycheck.

Life is Too Short

This is as much about life as it is about business. Yes, people that are passionate about their jobs tend to perform those jobs better. From a management perspective it makes sense. But on a higher level I believe everyone should seek what they truly enjoy. If you collect a big paycheck but feel no passion what is the point? You will never reach your true potential if you are motivated by money alone.

Your job should pull at your heart strings. It should make you want to do better, to be a better person. It should keep you up at night with excitement (and concern when appropriate). It should bother you when you screw something up. If it doesn’t you should step back, evaluate, and see what is missing. You may be able to find or rekindle that passion at your current organization. Perhaps your boss or another co-worker can help you make the connection.

…or maybe not.

If not you should do yourself, your co-workers and your company a favor and graciously move on. Life is too short for all of us.

TONGUE LASHINGS

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Todd on 08.28.2010 at 11:36 am

excellent post Ted. life is too short.
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Jim "Genuine" Turner on 08.28.2010 at 11:50 am

Herein is the life of a parent. You love them so much you have no time for the trivial things in life. I Think this speaks volumes as to why you are still a leader in the space. Keep rallying the troops and you will win this one Mr. Murphy!
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Jennifer on 08.28.2010 at 12:05 pm

Very well said!!
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Alli on 08.28.2010 at 1:25 pm

I was happy to leave my job after 8 years. My heart wasn’t in it and I knew it was never going to be in it. My mind was- it was twisting my heart in all kinds of directions. I was so, so, so happy to get that heart in the right place and let my mind let go of something that I would never be happy doing.

Excellent post.
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Corrin on 08.28.2010 at 1:53 pm

I agree…but I also disagree.

I’m not an entrepreneurial spirit. I’m a worker bee. I recognize that and I embrace it. You want something done as quickly, as cost efficiently, and as kick-ass as possible? I’m the person for the job.

I don’t work because it moves my spirit or tugs at my heart-strings. I work to spend time with my family, to travel, to lay in bed and read a good book on a Saturday afternoon.

That’s not to say that I don’t enjoy my work or don’t give my all to the projects I’m managing. I’m a perfectionist and a work-a-holic, I just need to make a clear distinction between my personal and professional life.
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Ted Murphy on 08.28.2010 at 2:00 pm

@Corrin:
Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying you need to be 24/7/365 like me. Not at all. People have different priorities in life and I am totally ok with that.

However, I believe that even a “worker bee” should love the hive they are a part of and enjoy making the honey
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Todd on 08.28.2010 at 3:28 pm

@Corrin i think Ted’s point was that you should love your work. you don’t need to be an entrepreneur to love and pride your work.
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erin fox on 08.28.2010 at 3:49 pm

Oh tedwardo, how I miss thee. I miss your Passion and needed this post. I was so surprised at your love it or leave it offer. Unfortunatly, I still love izea but left to be closer to home and with Lily. I question that choice daily. And miss my izea peeps like crazy. Sometimes new moms have to make sacrafices, but I hope our paths will cross again. God that was sappy, If I tell u that I just farted make this love fest less awkward?
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Ted Murphy on 08.28.2010 at 5:57 pm

@erin fox:
Well nobody can blame you for wanting to be with your little munchkin! That was a heck of a commute you had and I couldn’t imagine doing it with a child waiting for you at home. I am sure our paths will cross again
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John Raser on 08.29.2010 at 1:39 am

You speak the truth. *chest bump*
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BenSpark on 08.30.2010 at 12:30 pm

Ted,

Whenever you make these sorts of posts it twists my guts into knots. I’m not sure if I should even respond to this because no matter what I say it sounds like whining and I am not whining or saying poor me, however I want to know practical steps that I should be taking and it is burning me up inside not to say something.

And here is why: For my family, I am it. I earn the paycheck, I bring in the health insurance and I am it. My wife works a little and that helps with the bills. But for her to be able to be home with my daughter I work at my job. I hate it. There is no creativity here. Any spark of creativity I had or showed in the time I’ve been here has been snuffed out abruptly. But I cannot complain about it because “at least you have a job” or “at least they are still paying you”. So tell me, how do you leave a paying job when you have a mortgage, credit card debt, school loans and a wife and child depending on you to keep them fed, clothed and with a roof over our heads just because I’m not that happy? I hate to be a grouch and grumpy about this. I hate to be argumentative but what is the solution?

I get up early to slog to work, slog through work, slog home and then maybe I get to enjoy maybe two – three hours a day with my family, all the while chomping at the bit to get to work on making extra money to get out of this situation and not putting the family directly into the hole. So even when I do get time to enjoy the family I can’t do that because we are not in a situation for me to leave my job and keep us afloat. I work my ass off making other media after work and through the night, just to get up and do it all over again the next day.

The thing that pulls at my heart strings that does keep me up at night and makes me upset when I screw up is my blog consulting side business. It is not a full time business, it is a side business that I only have the luxury to do because it would be nice to love what you do but you gotta get paid too. Every bit of vacation time is being used to go to social media conferences and this year I’m footing the bill so that I can speak and maybe get recognized as someone who knows a thing or two about what they are doing. Maybe get a new job, one where I can be creative and love that job. So, how does one make this jump, realistically?

And don’t get me wrong, I know that you have worked your ass off to make IZEA what it is and to constantly innovate. You work your ass off to run and run and run some more. I get that, I see it. I follow all that you do, but what can you give as practical advice for someone who does not work at a company like IZEA where you understand the importance of innovating, changing constantly and being creative? What do you do if your creativity and zeal for work is gone and it is beginning to spill over to other areas of your life?