The Self-Made Boss

I am sick of the whispers. My team thinks I don’t hear them. I do.

They despise my working style. Some wonder why I work so hard. Others laugh at my to-do list. Most criticize my high standards.  

I don’t want to justify myself. But I will express.

I work hard because that is all I have known. That is all I have done.

Life did not bestow privileges upon me. I am the son of dirt.

I hated my poverty. I felt pity for my mother. She worked two jobs and sacrificed her happiness to give me the life I have today. A good woman she was, who did not deserve what this world handed her. If only she dared to stand up for herself and me. How could she speak kindly to the man who abused her? The man who never showed any sense of responsibility towards her or me.

My mother was naïve. She did not understand how this world worked.

This world runs on money. Power. Status. Pretense.

So yes. That is exactly what I chased. I snatched privilege from this world.

I created my destiny.

My work is my identity. It has brought me love and acceptance in this society. I don’t know if my gorgeous wife would be my wife if I weren’t who I am today. Neither do I know if my friends would be my friends if we didn’t go to the same golf club.

I cannot stop chasing. I will do everything and anything I can to maintain my success.

And since I never had it easy, I will not make it easy for anyone else.

If that makes me a ruthless person, then be it. That is all I have seen. That is all I have experienced. 

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Question for the readers: Have you worked for a Self-Made Boss? If so, what was the most challenging obstacle in building a relationship with them?

This post is authored by Nikki S, a London-based aspiring author. If you would like to get in touch with Nikki S, please drop a line at reframewithnikkis@gmail.com.