The startup I work for just recently announced they would be giving stock options to all the employees. My gut reaction was extreme excitement. Stock options in one of the fastest growing start-ups? Wow! Three years from now I could have a ton of money, potentially a million dollars or more, from that perk alone if they do as well as they are projected to. That would be enough for me to really start putting together investments and growing them from there.
Except I started thinking about it more. What if the company fails? I have no control over its direction. What if they don't fail, but the stock never goes that high? Of course they have high projections, what if they aren't realistic? And who is making the REAL money? Let's say I DO end up with that much in options, I'm nearly at the bottom of the totem pole. Someone is really reeling in the money and it certainly won't be me.
The next day I went to work with a pounding headache and ended up taking a call from someone who yelled at me for around an hour straight. All I wanted was to go home. Stock options hadn't granted me freedom. They don't produce towards my goals of living the lifestyle I want.
So, don't get me wrong, it's potentially an amazing perk and I am happy they offered it. It may come in handy if I end up working there for an extended period of time, but it's not a guarantee of success or a solution to my goals.
I'm feeling a new wave of motivation. The best day at a job is still a day at a job.
Except I started thinking about it more. What if the company fails? I have no control over its direction. What if they don't fail, but the stock never goes that high? Of course they have high projections, what if they aren't realistic? And who is making the REAL money? Let's say I DO end up with that much in options, I'm nearly at the bottom of the totem pole. Someone is really reeling in the money and it certainly won't be me.
The next day I went to work with a pounding headache and ended up taking a call from someone who yelled at me for around an hour straight. All I wanted was to go home. Stock options hadn't granted me freedom. They don't produce towards my goals of living the lifestyle I want.
So, don't get me wrong, it's potentially an amazing perk and I am happy they offered it. It may come in handy if I end up working there for an extended period of time, but it's not a guarantee of success or a solution to my goals.
I'm feeling a new wave of motivation. The best day at a job is still a day at a job.
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