Why Do You Work So Hard?

I joined a new company. about 40 people, semi-startup mode. I was working on larger company (about 220+ ) people, and after going through 6 managers in two years, with the latest being the corporate/pointy hair type, I had enough. I stopped working hard, and I realized I needed to move on doing something more meaningful. So I joined a small company that is in the beginning of executing a new strategy (yes a gamble, but all startups are). I am working extra hard, full cylinders firing. I believe "performance = ability + motivation". I have both right now, and my work is really showing it. Here are the main motivators for me:

1. Green card and freedom -- The process takes long time, so I need to make sure the company is doing good and it will be around when the process is done, otherwise I will be in trouble. Meaning going the extra mile about everything I do. Meaning that everything I do, is to secure the company is doing well and will be around. For other people might be their mortgage they have to pay, or expecting kids, or other responsibilities.

2. Pay is good. Really good. --HR types love to say that pay is not a motivator, but I can say for sure that low pay is sure DE-Motivator. And pay is relative. When everybody else is getting a pay-cut,and I got a huge raise, it makes me motivated to work extra hard to make the money they are paying worth it. And honestly, a large pay, makes me feel more appreciated.

3. Visibility and work relevance -- I make a huge difference in this company. I am about 10% of the technical output of the company. I work in very important project, and my direct performance has a lot of say on the future of the company. When you are one of one hundred engineers, your direct performance matters less. You can slack off (work half the time), and it only affects .5% of the engineering output. When you are one of the 12 engines, there is a huge responsibility on your shoulders.

4. Management hears what I say. -- If you are good, you can truly excel and shine in small companies/startups. My manager and director are impressed by what I am doing, and they hear my feedback, and act on it accordingly. I am not just a cog, replaceable widget, but a important part of the company. Replaceable, (yes, everybody is), but at a great expense. They realize that I am totally vested on the company's success, so my comments/suggestions are selfless, not self-promoting, but how to get things done faster and better.

5. Stock options -- Yes, I have a bunch of them. But they are more of a bet. I am not planing to be rich on them (maybe the founders will), but it is nice to know that if the company will do really well, then I get a piece of the pie too.

Re: Why Do You Work So Hard?

#5

Post by rm999 » Wed, Jan 28, 2009, 9:54 PM UTC

Then there's another article on the front page (From $80,000 a year to eviction) full of stories of people leaving their jobs and then getting screwed when they need a new one.

Not everything is as simple as "leave your crappy, back-breaking job and you'll be happy." At the very least, you need enough money to live with some level of comfort.

Re: Why Do You Work So Hard?

#6

Post by bitwize » Wed, Jan 28, 2009, 10:06 PM UTC

If you're studying for an N.D., you're not in medical school.

Re: Why Do You Work So Hard?

#7

Post by yters » Wed, Jan 28, 2009, 10:19 PM UTC

rm999 wrote: post #5

Then there's another article on the front page (From $80,000 a year to eviction) full of stories of people leaving their jobs and then getting screwed when they need a new one. Not everything is as simple as "leave your crappy, back-breaking job and you'll be happy." At the very least, you need enough money to live with some level of comfort.

Yes, people are focussing on the wrong thing here at HN:

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=455233

I say many people here are interested in startups more for the sake of financial freedom than for making cool stuff. The startup aspects of startups only detract from making cool stuff. So, we should be focusing more on financial freedom.

Not in the sense of constricting all HN posts to be about financial freedom, but at least devoting some thought to developing easy, dependable, and efficient plans for achieving it. As of now, I have seen 0 posts, excluding my own, on the topic. I don't expect people to jump on my bandwagon, or do my work for me. But, I will put together a plan and post it within the next couple months, to prove my point.

Here is my preliminary work, from awhile ago:

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=122341

Re: Why Do You Work So Hard?

#8

Post by lacker » Wed, Jan 28, 2009, 10:47 PM UTC

Not long ago, the CEO of one of the largest and most powerful international real estate firms in the nation quit his job. Stepped down. Not, as you might imagine, for retirement and not to play more golf and not to travel the world staying only in Four Seasons suites, but to work on rebuilding his relationship with his estranged wife.

CEOs always say they want to spend more time with their family when they step down. To me, it seems like good timing for the CEO of a real estate company to step down before the current meltdown.

Re: Why Do You Work So Hard?

#9

Post by yters » Wed, Jan 28, 2009, 10:53 PM UTC

I wrote a couple related posts recently:

Lack of financial freedom discussion on HN

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=455233

Poll on purpose for doing a startup

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=455335

Others from awhile ago:

A little research I've done on becoming financially free

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=122341

Asking who gives away financial freedom

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=60793

Re: Why Do You Work So Hard?

#10

Post by sokoloff » Wed, Jan 28, 2009, 11:28 PM UTC

Why do I work so hard?

Because I friggin' love my job! While there are parts of it that suck (like any job), on balance it's so completely enjoyable that I have a hard time relating to people for whom work is a grind.