#17 What do you need more of?

Jonathan has worked as a free-lance real estate agent for the last 3 years.
He admits that he has no special interest in his job, but during his mid-life crisis he had decided to jump in for financial reasons only. Reaching for wealth!

Unfortunately, most of the time he is still today struggling to have a constant flow of money.
Lately, riding the wave from new COVID requirements, one of his highly successful friends offered him the opportunity to join a very promising business in public space cleaning.
Looks like a winning ticket on his way to becoming Wealthy Jonathan!
Yet, Jonathan wondered if that was a good option for him, and eventually declined.

I didn’t get it.
When I asked him why, he responded with one word: “Freedom.”

Reporting to a boss does not sound like heaven for a lot of us.
I get that. Actually, I relate to that vision to such an extent that I ran away from the very first company I worked for, after 2 years only. And I would not go back to that kind of employee life for any paycheck.

“Free like a bird.” At least that is what Jonathan claims.
A bird that is not enjoying the comfort he was looking for. A bird that is regularly complaining about the lack of meaning in his profession. A bird that is making fun of his own misery.
But still, a bird.

Marcus, a financial analyst working mainly in start-ups, pointed out how, now that he feels authentically fulfilled in his new company , “feeling free is not such an issue anymore.”
And actually, his perspective makes sense too.
Think about it:  Would you actually mind reporting to a wonderful/uplifting/inspirational/ legitimate/[insert-your-own-desired-qualities] boss? Not so sure.
Now that I revisit my own experience, would I have sworn off being someone else’s employee if I hadn’t been so poorly managed in my very first job? Who knows?

Maybe feeling free is what we call for when we miss fulfillment.

Can you feel free without being free, and be free without feeling free?
The answer is YES.
These talks with Marcus and Jonathan last week brought up a question that sounds philosophical at first, but when considered pragmatically, is quite the contrary: It is one of the most concrete and regular concerns you face every day, whether you realize it or not.

Now, ask yourself; Do you feel free?

Don’t look at your status, it doesn’t mean as much as your feelings.
Your status indeed might say something about the potentiality of your freedom, but the way you live it tells the truth.
What you feel is always the entry point to any of your soul-searching quests.
Start there, that will help you clarify a lot of what looks complex for the brain. Feelings are great indicators to highlight where your real questions and answers truly are.

Do you need more freedom?
If “Yes” is your answer, look at what freedom means for you exactly in your current situation: more time, more acknowledgment, more money, more creativity, more power, more responsibility…
More of what?