I think Career is the worst snake oil I ever brought home. Education being the next. No, I am not writing this post in regret or in bad times. Whatever oil I bought is still making me good food and giving me an acceptable lifestyle. So, I can’t just pour it out the door and get done.

Which is precisely what makes it snake oil! I am sometimes so damn scared about taking a step because am worried precisely about losing this oil. A break in career cannot do you much good. I wonder how I came up with that conclusion?!

I never participated in the race. I have closed to never negotiated salaries or job titles. I was always keen on what I get to do. What role do I play? How important is that to you? What do I learn? Where do I go from here? And I have moved when I felt I wasn’t learning anymore. I am sure if I put a portion of that effort in running the race, I would have been “someone” in the industry by now. But I don’t care to be that “someone”. I care about my work. I care about myself – selfishly. I don’t care to make a lot of money, I only want to have a decent retirement that won’t push my son to desperation.

According to math, I can experiment. Noni and I can pull off a six month vacation in Singapore without a job. That’s a luxury. Enviable one too. And yet, am worried my snake oil would be stale at the end of six months and I can’t buy some more. Irrational, but then all fears are.

I guess the best way to start afresh is the get rid of the oil. Perhaps skill set is a better snake oil to trade with.