#62 - The reality of quitting your 9 to 5 w/ Chloe Shih (@chloe.shih)
Sep 11, 2024
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Chloe Shih, a talented content creator and product lead with experience at Discord, Meta, TikTok, and Google, shares her journey of balancing corporate life and creative passions. She discusses overcoming workplace challenges and transforming tough moments into growth opportunities. Chloe introduces her innovative Life PDR concept to define personal purpose, emphasizing self-discovery and empowerment. The conversation also explores the emotional complexities of transitioning from a traditional career to embracing entrepreneurship and creativity.
Overcoming workplace challenges involves recognizing and leveraging personal strengths to create a unique professional identity in the corporate landscape.
The pursuit of joy through creative endeavors alongside professional roles fosters authenticity and fulfillment in both 9-5 and 5-9 identities.
Utilizing structured tools like a 'live PRD' empowers individuals to clarify their purpose and design actionable steps toward personal and professional aspirations.
Deep dives
Taking Control of Your Dreams
Dreaming of personal success and fulfillment can transform into reality if one takes decisive action. The conversation highlights the journey of reclaiming control over one’s life, suggesting that hardship can serve as both a challenge and a catalyst for growth. The idea that you 'get to do this' rather than 'have to do this' promotes a mindset of gratitude and purpose. This perspective encourages individuals to pursue their dreams actively, despite the obstacles they may face.
Embracing Workplace Challenges
Navigating the corporate landscape can be fraught with difficulties, especially for those who feel their voices are marginalized. The discussion centers on overcoming such challenges by realizing one's strengths and leveraging them to carve out a unique identity. Laying off can offer unexpected opportunities, and personal experiences highlight the resilience necessary to transform difficult situations into avenues for creativity and exploration. Acceptance of one’s narrative as a vehicle for helping others is depicted as an essential aspect of personal growth.
The Power of Creative Ventures
Integrating creative pursuits alongside professional responsibilities is vital for a fulfilling life. The episode illustrates the concept of '9-5s and 5-9s,' depicting how individuals can manage their corporate roles while nurturing personal projects. Expressing oneself through creative ventures not only brings joy but also fosters a sense of identity and belonging. This duality of identity helps individuals maintain their authenticity in both corporate and creative realms.
Building a Structured Life Vision
Creating a clear roadmap for one’s personal and professional life is essential for achieving goals. The introduction of a 'live PRD' (Product Requirements Document) serves as a unique tool that helps define purpose, mission, and guiding principles. By envisioning the ideal audience and utilizing personal strengths, individuals can design their paths effectively. This structured approach empowers individuals to articulate their core values and outlines the steps necessary to realize their aspirations.
Finding Joy in Uncertainty
The journey through uncertainty and exploration can lead to profound self-discovery. Embracing an adult gap year allows individuals to experiment, learn, and express creativity without the pressures of traditional success measures. The speaker emphasizes the importance of engaging in new experiences to discover passions, advocating for a playful approach to challenges. This mindset encourages allowing oneself to be vulnerable, fostering personal evolution through each step of the journey.
Hi Voice Hugs fam, today we’re having an incredibly lovely conversation with Chloe Shih 🦄🧁👾👩🏻💻🍉, a brilliant content creator and product lead who has worked at Discord, Meta, Tiktok, and Google.
Even before she was laid off from Discord (her 9-5) earlier this year, her thesis has always been that every one of us yearns to create something of our own (our 5-9s), and she’s made it her mission to share with the corporate girlies and boysies how to navigate, find, and balance their 9-5 with their 5-9s. We absolutely love this ✨
In this episode, we talk about overcoming workplace challenges whilst finding her own voice, the power of leaning into our strengths, turning “rock bottom” moments into opportunities for growth, creative bucket lists, and embracing uncertainty during her ‘adult gap year.’
We also nerd out over her Life PDR, or Product Requirement Documents, a concept she borrowed from the tech world to apply to her personal life to define her purpose, mission, and guiding principles. You all know how much Ro loves structure and planning, this Life PDR is on another LEVEL 🤯
We hope you feel just as inspired as we did having this convo with Chloe!! 🧸
