Sub-Titles

I’m going to call this thinking in public.

Here’s something I’ve been thinking about A LOT as of late: Titles

If you’re new here (welcome in 🫶🏻), I’ll give you some context. I just my job at an awesome company called Dexcom. I was working as a Product Manager on life saving continuous glucose monitors. I had a job and a title that so many young and ambitious people are working towards. But I couldn’t do it anymore…

Last November, I Left. It felt like it was time to start the next chapter. Work on things of my own.

It might sound glorious, ambitious, and sexy to start the journey of an becoming an ~entrepreneur~ after taking the leap from a 6 figure corporate salary. I can candidly share that it is down-right gracefully horrifying.

As Nassim Taleb puts it:

Once I took a good hard look in the mirror and told myself it’s time to jump ship and figure it out. The next question my inner monologue (and my mother) had was: “what the hell do I do?”

Of course I want to be a founder or entrepreneur or guy with a lot of money. But its not a game where I just jump from Product manager to Founder. It’s a lot of small steps along the way, generally in that direction.

So what’s important right now is: what exactly do I do, how do I make money, how do I sell myself and my services to other people that I can help?… When I’ve done and tried so many things?

I’m not boxed into “Product Manager” or “Engineer”

I have now been having hard time sharing what my title is and what I do. I don't know what to say or how to communicate it. It’s been a big struggle.

• I have built a community that does cold plunge parties. Does that make me a community builder?

• I wear an apple watch, OURA ring, continuous glucose monitor, sleep on an 8sleep mattress, workout every day, and eat healthy. Does that make me a biohacker?

• I run 6 to 12 miles, do yoga, and lift 4 times a week. Does that make me a hybrid athlete?

• I love presenting Power points to my friends about topics I’m interested in.Does that make me a nerd?

• I write a weekly newsletter about my lift and interests. Does that make me a blogger?

• I love capturing peoples attention with stories, photos, and videos. Does that make me an influencer?

• I read untold history books. Like how all the Nazi’s were on meth and how the KKK almost ran the entire United States. Does that make me a weirdo?

The point is, it's really hard. And I could probably switch from context to context for which one I could be depending on the room I am in.

That’s the beauty of being where I am right now. Starting a fresh new chapter here in San Francisco. People don’t really know me here. A new chapter like this is an opportunity to write my own narrative for where I am at. Not for what I “do.” As we all default to asking.

I get to redefine who I am. Just because there isn’t a clear path, doesn’t mean it’s has to be scary. I just have to take it one step at a time. As long as I stay directionally accurate, I’ll look back and see how fun it was to create my own path, write my own story, and be the director of my own life movie.

Here’s the thing though.

You don’t have to quit your job to do this. You can do this too. It come’s down to just doing what you like, and telling people about it.

Try it.

Next time you meet someone and they finally pop the “what do you do” cherry of the conversation: tell them about something fun you’re doing.

Then make it a title. Here’s what I could say:

• DJ

• Artist

• Alpinist

• Creator

• Botanist

• Founder

• Youtuber

• Podcaster

• Salsa Dancer

• Photographer

• Angel Investor

• Yoga Instructor

• Community Builder

Then notice how the conversation changes.

Drop the sub-titles and make your own. Be the director of your own movie.

Have fun with it. It’s all bullshit anyways 😘

Love Ya,

Jared

I Dig So You Don’t Have To

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