By Jeff Altman, Big Game Hunter
Are you fighting for a 3% raise while watching someone else win your promotion? you are not alone. In this video, I deconstruct the “myth of professional loyalty” and expose the “madness of the profession”—the painful gap between the dreams we’re sold on and the reality of being a cog in the corporate machine. We’ll delve into the parable of the snake to reveal the true nature of business and provide an actionable four-step plan to dispel false hope and start putting your interests ahead of your company’s bottom line. It’s time to stop waiting for a savior and start becoming your own CEO.
Today, let’s talk about a professional loyalty myth that many of us believe, or at least once believed. We’re going to delve into what happens when the entire fantasy disintegrates. Let’s get started.
You know, the feeling starts out very small, kind of like a lingering thought in the back of your mind, a quiet sense of frustration. But over time, it grows until it becomes a single, overwhelming word that defines your entire career. crazy.
Maybe it’s this feeling that the rules of the game you thought you were playing by no longer seem to matter. If this sounds vaguely familiar, you’ve come to the right place, because we’re about to explore exactly where this feeling comes from. Well, let’s start by framing the entire conflict.
We call it career madness. In fact, it’s all about the vast gap between the dream careers we’re sold and the reality many of us live day in and day out. So on one hand, you have dreams, right? The story is simple.
Do good work, get recognized, and you’ll move up the ladder, earning more money and power. But there is another side, which is reality. It feels like a tiny ant in a huge machine.
It’s watching outsiders get hired into the position you’ve been working toward. It feels like you have to be an empty suit to be successful. What does this recognition look like in the world? Well, for many who are labeled as solid performers, all the hard work, all the loyalty, it all boils down to a number that looks a lot like this.
3%. 3% salary increase? I mean, it feels less like a real reward and more like just checking a box, doesn’t it? Right here, this is the core of all the frustration. This is a fundamental disconnect.
One thing management said, you know, we really value you. But when it comes to promotions or pay, their actions tell a completely different story. It’s in this gap, this inconsistency, that madness really begins to take hold.
So what happens when this disconnect continues day after day, year after year? Well, this leads to what the source material calls death by a thousand cuts. Your ambition itself will be slowly and painfully worn away. It’s a gradual thing, you know, it doesn’t happen overnight.
First, maybe you realize that management is actually getting in the way of your success. You are then encouraged to ignore all the contradictions you see. Fear sets in, the fear of losing your job, which makes you compliant.
Believe the opinions of others more than your own
Eventually, you may give up and succumb to so-called acceptable mediocrity. You become a hollow version of the ambitious person you were when you started. So the key point is this, it’s a real wake-up call.
The path of being quiet, submissive, and never rocking the boat is not the path to leadership or fulfillment. This is a path that takes you further and further away from the person you really want to be. To truly understand the entire dynamic, we have to change our perspective.
There is a powerful metaphor that explains it all. This is the so-called “Parable of the Snake.” The story is simple.
The snake wanted to cross the river, so he asked the turtle for a ride. You know, the turtle is a smart turtle, it’s a little hesitant. He asked the snake for assurance that he would not be bitten.
Snake, well, he made a promise. This promise sounds completely reassuring, completely logical, and completely safe. Because the turtle wanted to believe the promise, he agreed and let the snake crawl onto his back.
But of course, in the middle of the river, the inevitable happened. The snake broke his promise and bit the turtle, and both of them perished. The turtle was completely shocked and asked: Why? You agreed.
And right here, that’s the core lesson of the whole story. The snake’s response is simple and you really can’t argue with it. This is not done out of malice.
It’s not even about breaking a promise. This is about its fundamental nature. Snakes do what snakes do.
So what does this really mean for us? Well, corporations are not necessarily evil, just like snakes are not evil. It just behaves according to its nature. The essence of any business is to survive and protect its owners and investors first.
This is its main function. Everything else comes second. Here we connect everything with the feeling of madness.
It’s not the system itself that’s crazy. Madness is our false belief. We want snakes to behave less like snakes.
We want businesses to choose to treat us well rather than ensure their own survival. Now, the source material uses a very blunt metaphor here, and it’s intended to wake us up. We become obsessed with the idea that companies will take care of us, and that’s a dangerous idea.
It’s time to get out of this fantasy and start planning for yourself and your interests. This brings us to the last and most important part. Once we understand the nature of a system, how do we actually operate within it? Well, it all comes down to taking full, complete responsibility for your career.
The whole thing can be broken down into a clear four-step plan. First, you must acknowledge the reality of the system and understand the nature of the business snake. Second, you must give up the false hope that you will somehow be the only exception to the rule.
Third, realize that you are responsible for your career and start planning your interests. Finally, fourth, you must take action now. Don’t wait until a crisis occurs to start preparing.
Always remember, not even the most well-intentioned manager in the world can save you. When tough decisions are made at the top, your direct boss is often powerless. You can’t outsource your career security to just anyone.
You are in charge. So let’s end with this. Businesses operate with a clear understanding of their own purpose and nature.
The most powerful question you can ask yourself right now is, do you know yours? Are you willing to take action?
Decide
About Big Game Hunter Jeff Altman
People hire “Big Game Hunter” Jeff Altman to provide no-nonsense job coaching and career advice around the world because he makes your job search and career success easier.
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