This Is Really Dangerous

🥳 First off, huge congratulations to the THREE TopSDR network members who have landed roles since last week’s letter.

Second, we are excited to see many of you tonight for our Spring event (even though it feels like winter 🥶 )

Finally, read to the bottom to see pics from recent dinners w/ candidates we’ve placed + a list of the restaurants we went to (in case you’re looking for inspiration).

Now let’s get into it!

We had another instagram reel pop off this week. It didn’t go quite as viral as the one I posted here a few weeks ago, but it’s still at 31k views as of this AM.

In the video, Chris, (a.k.a the slightly less good looking member of the TopSDRs team), talks about how the only thing worse than hating your job is being completely neutral about it.

And wow did the message resonate.

We got TONS of DMs from high performers in NYC and across the country who said they felt the exact same thing.

As one ex-D1 athlete from a T-20 school said: “It would be wrong if I didn't reach out to say I love what you guys are doing.”…”I’m a former athlete, working in investment management, and I'm not satisfied. The opportunity set is so different today than how it was for our parents.”

So why is it better to hate your job than be totally neutral on it?

Because being neutral on your job means there isn’t enough pain to push you to leave.

It means you’re okay sucking it up and pushing forward even though in your heart you know you don’t truly care about what you’re doing.

AND, as a result, you end up in no-man’s land, never becoming a top performer because you don’t care enough, but also never leaving because the pain of looking for something new is temporarily greater than the pain of staying.

One caveat before I go on. I recognize that this is a very privileged POV to have. The job market is notoriously hard right now, and so for the majority of people having any job is a huge win. However, this letter isn’t written for the majority of people.

We are talking to you. The outliers. The top 1-percenters who have gone to great schools, landed amazing jobs, but have always known deep down they have more to give than swiping into some HUGE office building near Grand Central for another day of pretending to care.

So, if you’re in this position what do you do?

I can really only speak to my own experience, so I’ll lead with that.

Most importantly: DON’T LOSE THE FIRE.

When I was at an investment bank I felt all the emotions above. There were many days where I would try to convince myself that I was happy because it would be WAY easier than admitting I wasn’t and trying to make a change.

But I couldn’t let that voice win. I knew that was just fear/insecurity in a different form, and that if I listened to it, I’d end up unfulfilled, asking “what if?” in 30 years.

So how did I keep the fire alive? I STAYED CURIOUS

That’s it. I didn’t go out and apply to hundreds of jobs, I didn’t rage quit with dillusions of starting something of my own, I simply stayed curious.

I listened to podcasts while I was at the office (my manager sat to my right so I always had my left AirPod in), I went to networking events that I typically wouldn’t have attended, I read books, and I even enrolled in a startup leadership course that I saw online.

All of these things added fuel to my tank. They started to show me that there were other opportunities out there. Other paths that people had taken that I could also take.

As a result, not only did the fire stay alive, it grew until I absolutely couldn’t ignore it.

As the fire grew, I decided to make a promise to myself. I told myself that in 1 year I wouldn’t be in the same job.

I didn’t know where I’d be, but I knew that if I had that north star, that I would find a way to make the change.

And I did.

So, if you’re in a position where you’re totally neutral on your job, but you want more, start by getting curious.

To that end, a few things that are keeping me curious right now:

1. This episode of My First Million (I listen to this pod every day and it was a BIG inspiration when I left Barc)

2. Mastery by Robert Greene (just started it yday)

3. This podcast w David Senra x Patrick O’Shaughnessy.

4. Patrick O’Shaughnessy’s 2016 essay about NOT setting goals

5. Jeff Bezo’s ‘97 letter to shareholders (someone said it was a must read…I forget who)

So as you go into Thursday don’t let the fire disappear. Remember, most people who look back and say “I wish I had…” weren’t people without dreams. They were people who had dreams, but kept finding excuses to delay them.

Have a great day!

-Andrew

Wall of Celebratory Dinners (+ restaurants we went to)

Restaurants we went to:

• Casa Carmen

• Ceccis

• & Son Greenwich Village