I began to detest putting on my consultant’s outfit of slacks and a tucked-in button-down. I felt as if I were wearing someone else’s uniform. When it came to my year-end review, I was told that my work was error-free and my contributions to the team were valued, but there was a major issue. I looked as if I didn’t care in client meetings. I

So many professionals accept this type of work arrangement as the best they can hope for, convincing themselves that work is not meant to be enjoyed. In fields like consulting, finance, and law, this situation is even normalized and many people enter these careers expecting to make sacrifices in their lives before they start.

Most people have an acute sense of the challenges that lay ahead. They can predict the criticism they’ll face and the insecurity they’ll feel. This is why many, including me, refuse the “call to adventure” as long as possible. Before quitting my job, I spent several years critiquing the corporate world from within, convinced I could help “fix” it.