There are four types of working people

It’s not often that we have a novel thought of our own- most of the time we’re repurposing things we’ve learned from others. An inevitability of being human.

So I’m not sure if I came up with this idea first, but it feels like I did… built from other ideas I’ve learned.

The Four Workers

I believe there are four types of people that work in the world. Not knowing which one you are can have disastrous consequences.

The four types are split across being an employee or an entrepreneur, then dividing once more. An employee works for someone else - they receive compensation from another that in one way or another determines whether they work somewhere. An entrepreneur is someone that owns their own business, and is paid based on their success in adding value to their customers.

Employees and entrepreneurs live vastly different lives, with the major difference being freedom. Anyone that believes entrepreneurs are frolicking about in flower filled meadows, with money pouring in passively, doesn’t have a clue about reality for the vast majority.

Nevertheless, another newsletter will be dedicated to digging into the differences between the two. You know enough to read the following.

Drumroll…

No. 1 - Simple employee

Someone that is wired to be an employee - there is little importance for the content of their work. So long as they are treated well, both in compensation and lifestyle, there is only a minimal level of alignment they need with their work to feel good. For example, a person that likes to work with their hands, not being made to file paperwork. The jobs available to the simple and specific employee are the same - the difference is in whether right person is working the job.

No. 2 - Specific employee

Another person that is wired to be an employee, but they have a far greater need for connection to their work. In today’s world, I believe most people are specific employees - either working where they should be, or not. This is an easy category to grasp. You may have someone working as a garbageman that doesn’t like his job, but would be happy as a policeman. They don’t need their own thing, but they need to give a shit about what they do.

No. 3 - Simple entrepreneur

A totally different kind of person, these people have to work for themselves. There are many ways to work for oneself, and they are going to need to find one - which one they find though is not so important. Most entrepreneurs are simple, the content of their business is not as important as the lifestyle it brings. One would be wise to select a type of business or work that is more closely aligned with a their personality and uniqueness, but it’s not going to haunt them. These are business people - the game of business is more who they are than anything else.

No. 4 - Specific entrepreneur

The most challenging type of person to be, but possibly the highest ceiling for the realization of the highest heights of fulfillment and meaning. A person that needs to work for themself, but requires a greater connection to their work. These are not your average hustlers - they have to hustle for what they care about. The challenge in this is that they are limited to nurturing businesses (already difficult) that are a reflection of them (more difficult). When these people succeed, they have the opportunity to realize the highest form of human craft - deep connection to their work, on their own terms.

Specific entrepreneurs and employees are similar in that they are both a product of opportunity - people that are struggling to survive are incredibly unlikely to specialize their work. That does not mean they’re happy, but happy is a flimsy term as it is, and impossible to give a universal definition.

As someone that has come to realize they are a specific entrepreneur, I can tell you that there is a desire to be different. Ignorance truly is bliss, even spiritual ignorance. The person that’s soul, wiring, nature, nurture, whatever you want to call it, draws them to be a simple employee or entrepreneur, has an easier life. The more flexibility one has in what they do, the less resistance they meet. You, I, and everyone else will meet resistance in life no matter what - a little less would be nice.

But as that same person, I can tell you I truly believe there is no changing. We are what we are, and the sooner we realize it, the sooner we can chart our course in the right direction.

So… which one are you?

Sincerely,

Jacob

P.S. Got a new drone, learning how to use basic LUTs… we are GROWING.

P.S.S. Get a hard workout in, and tell me you’re not happy you did.