"Glen, What do you do?"
In certain situations this can be a dreaded question when you first transition to a Digital Independent (DI).
As I wrote in my book, it was one of the early challenges I had with the shift given a lot of my personal identity was wrapped up in what I had achieved to date in my career position. At any networking or social event, when someone asked that question, it was easy to provide a fancy "executive sounding" title at a known large respected company. It was a source of validation and social standing. People would then judge their next steps with me from the response and usually (or at least I thought) that meant they would want to talk more or spend more time. with me.
In my early DI days, for a response, I would drone on about what I "used" to do and try and explain in detail what I was doing now tying to make it sound important.
Today I simply say that I am a digital Independent and if they ask to know more, I explain what that is and the things I am focused on in serving my purpose. If it causes them to start looking around for someone with a more "important" title to talk with, then I really don't want to talk with them anyway.
They are likely not people I wish to know.
Being different than the common, current language takes some courage and confidence, and I have learned to treat my response more as an affirmation of this amazing lifestyle that I get to live and that my identity is much more than my work or my job. It is not meant to be an explanation or justification to the people I am stating it to. Although I am happy to take the opportunity to explain it to those that are genuinely interested.
My daughter sent me this cartoon - mainly because I am a connoisseur of "Fart" jokes, however looking at it in the context of being unique in what is considered "normal", I thought it quite appropriate for this topic.
In certain situations this can be a dreaded question when you first transition to a Digital Independent (DI).
As I wrote in my book, it was one of the early challenges I had with the shift given a lot of my personal identity was wrapped up in what I had achieved to date in my career position. At any networking or social event, when someone asked that question, it was easy to provide a fancy "executive sounding" title at a known large respected company. It was a source of validation and social standing. People would then judge their next steps with me from the response and usually (or at least I thought) that meant they would want to talk more or spend more time. with me.
In my early DI days, for a response, I would drone on about what I "used" to do and try and explain in detail what I was doing now tying to make it sound important.
Today I simply say that I am a digital Independent and if they ask to know more, I explain what that is and the things I am focused on in serving my purpose. If it causes them to start looking around for someone with a more "important" title to talk with, then I really don't want to talk with them anyway.
They are likely not people I wish to know.
Being different than the common, current language takes some courage and confidence, and I have learned to treat my response more as an affirmation of this amazing lifestyle that I get to live and that my identity is much more than my work or my job. It is not meant to be an explanation or justification to the people I am stating it to. Although I am happy to take the opportunity to explain it to those that are genuinely interested.
My daughter sent me this cartoon - mainly because I am a connoisseur of "Fart" jokes, however looking at it in the context of being unique in what is considered "normal", I thought it quite appropriate for this topic.
