Sometimes I feel like I'm the only person in advertising who isn't fiercely competitive. I just wanna make a decent living, work hard but not too hard, spend time with my husband and my kid, do some good work... Meanwhile everyone I know through work is constantly gunning for a promotion or moving on. It works for them, but it's not my game. Anyone else ever feel this way? I wanna find my people.

Same. I value work life balance more than anything else. Hustle culture works for some but I’ve been there and the burnout is real. Just cant help comparing myself against my peers sometimes, they seem so…driven. While here I am perfectly content churning out quality work in the adequate amount of time I’m paid for. Don’t get me wrong though, I’m not being complacent or anything and still put in a 100% all the time. I sometimes wonder if i’m lacking passion or just can’t find a deeper purpose (or something) in what I do to lose sleep over work. Just feel like I don’t care about the job as much as others, who would literally kill to climb the ladder. I’m happy where I am as long as I can pay rent, save and still indulge every now and then.

I feel so seen!

I was just having this conversation with my husband this evening. Before we were together, my identity was work. I hustled and I wanted the promotion, the best account, the cool projects, etc.

Now I just want to earn a good living, grow our family, work with interesting and kind people, and live my life. Don’t even care if the work is bland, bc I have so much more to color my life other than advertising.

Actually interviewed for an in house gig and am waiting to hear back. Ready for that 9-5 life.

I feel the same. I wanna do my job well and then be done for the day at a decent hour and enjoy the rest of my life. We’re not saving lives and I’m so tired of this hustle mentality. None of this matters, we’re in a pandemic.

Same I’m your people! So funny I see this because I feel this exact way today. Exhausted unsure if this is the industry I should be in. I just want to work and enjoy family. Log off at night not log back in after kids in bed. Also I never know if what im doing it “right”. I wish I were like a pharmacist or something you know if you are doing a good job…
Not sure how to translate what I do brand side
Post Covid just puts so much in perspective a this ain’t it

I’m with you. It’s exhausting to be so competitive. For me, I don’t want work to be my life. I’d rather enjoy my life outside of work—family, friends, laugh as much as possible. 😀

I left advertising and went tech side because I felt the same.

I feel you. I don’t care at all about working for the “best” agency. I just want to get paid well and get to work on cool things. It seems like everyone’s ego makes them feel like they have to be the absolute best

I feel ya. This is exactly why I took a job at the little shop nobody ever heard of. People are nice, the hours are great and I get to have a life beyond my title.

I have never related to a post more on this app. I just wanna get paid and sign off. People at my job care so much about each pixel they push, I just can’t get into it anymore.

Right there with you. It goes in waves of “not competitive bc focusing on other life stuff and glad my job has flexibility” & “fiercely dedicated to a few important workstreams and letting other crap wither” for me.

Latter gets you promo, former is whatev, and realistically nobody is perfect gunning at 100-150% utilization every day endlessly so cut yourself some slack

100% with you. I can't be asked to play in the pissing contest. I just want to work with creative people and collaborate to solve problems.

Same same same. For me it took stepping down and swallowing my ego to find balance and not go crazy every day. Brand or tech side is def a move if you can handle the snails pace and politics.

I’ve never been competitive in this job and always look for the accounts with work / life etc. I’m not one of those people who gets off on telling people how busy I am, quite the opposite. Never went for the glamorous celebrity accounts. Yet here I am, got put on an account where I somehow can’t escape working nonstop and want to gtfo.

You’re not alone. If you like advertising stay and do you. We need more folks willing to squash the ‘cacophony of ego’ and create culture that helps whole life success, not just work success. I connect with everything said on this thread, and some days is a slog; but I really work to do me. You may move slower up the ladder, if moving up the ladder is what you want, but you’ll get there.

I don’t think you are as alone as you think. This is the exact reason that people are resigning and looking for work with better work life balance, better pay, healthier work environment, etc.

I feel the exact same way. I work to live, not live to work. I want to do my job well, work with nice, talented people and make a comfortable living. But I’m not competitive.

I’m with you 100% as well. I was competitive until I hit a senior account director/GAD and realized I didn’t want any more responsibility or stress. Then I started having kids and this shifted more… the desire for a work life balance became so strong as I have so much more than just work. And then the pandemic hit… and I am so ready to stop the hustle of logging back on after the kids are in bed.

I love this post, 100% agree with you and so many here. Really feels good to see how many others feel the same way. Work well, doing your best, with nice people, sanity first and not needing to be so competitive. Having a life outside of all this!!

I’m not trying to be rude when I ask, but why do account side people work at ad agencies? And not go in house?

Totally hear you and relate. I have always wanted to create award-winning work, but the drive to keep pushing for the next promotion or join management wasn’t my thing. Don’t get me wrong. I like earning a nice living. But all the competitive rah rah, not so much.