2023 was a big year for tech companies, marked by the release of landmark new products and technologies set to the background of an overturned funding landscape. For many working in the field, 2023 was also marked by an awakening to the realities of burnout. Some of those tech workers, myself included, were either oblivious to or underestimated the true severity of their exhaustion.
As for me, 2023 also presented a twist that reflected the experience of countless others in tech – I found myself abruptly without a job.
I didn’t know it at the time, but that turn of events in early September 2023 would mark a significant crossroads in my life.
Initially, as many might, I wallowed in self-pity. But as that wore and my responsibilities as a father came increasingly to the forefront, I arrived at what I now realize was a pivotal moment in my life. The choice to make was clear: either dive headfirst towards a role similar to my last or embrace the challenging yet necessary decision to step off the “career hamster wheel” for a moment. This would mean taking time to look within – spending some focused time reflecting on what I truly wanted out of life.
I opted for the latter – and, now, four months later, I couldn’t be happier that I did. What started as a “forced” sabbatical turned into a mid-life crisis. Now, here I am on the other side with a newfound appreciation for life and a deeper understanding of myself and the conditions I need to be my best.
It was during my period of introspection that I realized the need to overhaul my approach to life. I learned so much in general and even more about myself in specific. If I had to summarize the recent changes in my perspective, I would do it with this from Paul Millerd, author of The Pathless Path, the book that has become my anthem.
In an interview on Lenny’s Podcast, Millerd described the Pathless Path as:
“…a personal journey of shifting away from operating around scarcity towards operating from a sense of abundance, having faith that things might be okay.”
In his book, Millerd suggests we:
“…develop [our] own personal definition of freedom, and to dare to have faith that it will be okay, no matter how much skepticism, insecurity, or fear [we] face.”
For many, myself included, it's easy to slip into a scarcity mindset. Personal experiences like missing out on a job opportunity after countless rounds of interviews or losing out on a deal you’ve spent months fighting for can spiral into negative thought patterns, where we fear the worst and are convinced, albeit briefly, that we’ll never recover.
But, no more.
In the spirit of the words above, starting this month, after 10+ years of leading product at startups of various size and stage, I’m beginning what I'm calling my Solopreneur’s Journey. On this journey, I take with me a fresh perspective and a commitment to apply it in as pragmatic a way as possible, making good on another quote I happened upon during my time away: “your life and career are both products – manage them as such”.
Product/Life Fit will serve as a platform to explore my journey as a former product manager seeking to understand life's abundance through various avenues such as fractional product work, product/design advisory, and technology consulting. I will share weekly insights roughly in 3 “buckets”, as noted in the Venn diagram below.
In the Product bucket, I'll discuss insights from my tech and product experiences.
In the Life bucket, I'll share learnings from my recent months spent with a life coach, and the relevant insights that have yet to come.
In the Product/Life bucket, I'll explore the idea of Product/Life Fit, a concept I've been deeply contemplating (stay tuned for my next post where I define it!) and am eager to explore in greater depth. I’ll write about the many ways in which product, technology, and life mirror each other, with examples that constantly spark in my mind and that I'm excited to share.
So this is for those in tech, those navigating life, or ideally those doing both. I hope you find insight, value, and some enjoyment in my journey and reflection. Perhaps it can help you gain a deeper understanding of yourself, your purpose, and what truly motivates you. If I can achieve that for even one reader, I will have met my goal.
Here's to a fantastic year for all, with the hope that it brings you exactly what you’re looking for.
Need some product help? I help startups and scale-ups focus on discovering and building products that are valuable, viable, and aligned with their mission. Learn more at omrib.com.
Need some product design help? I work with a group of world-class product designers to provide product design, UI, and UX services by subscription. Learn more at hiforge.co.
I'm also working on becoming a career coach for tech professionals and those interested in working in technology. More on that soon – I can’t wait.
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