Chapter 287

Social wealth is the power to choose who to hang out with. - James Clear

Few people ever get to experience this in a way they enjoy. And no social hierarchy is more layered and sensitive than high school. And as I think back on that hellish four years, few people were hanging out with who they wanted, or who they thought they wanted to hang out with. I strongly suspect that they would not have actually enjoyed hanging out with who they thought they wanted to hang out with. Isn’t that the one thing teen books truthfully get right ? College was somewhat better, or I should actually say, got better as you got older.

But adult life happens in a different way. Work and the organization you are employed by largely determines your social possibilities. Social possibilities at work don’t force you to stay only in those circles, but there are lots of pressures and time and structures that will keep you with those people a great deal of the hours of your day. Then there are the outside of working hours social expectations, birthday celebrations, anniversaries, promotions, child births, graduations, etc etc. Again more pressure to be with work peeps. And if you really truly like these people, this is a win win! I don’t know many people who choose to hang out with work peeps, when they aren’t obligated to do so.

I left the company that I had worked with for 23 years, and the change in my social wealth continues to be one of the greatest benefits from having moved on to my own company - I get to choose who I hang out with. Or better said, I almost never am required to spend time with people I don’t like.

Gold!