What You Do (When No One Is Looking) Defines You

Seth Godin, on Self-Directed Effort:

There’s an entire system organized around the idea that we’re too weak to deliver effort without external rewards and punishment. If you only grow on demand, you’re selling yourself short … The thing I care the most about: what do you do when no one is looking, what do you make when it’s not an immediate part of your job… how many push ups do you do, just because you can?

When you think about it, the whole concept of working for someone else is an odd thing. 

In return for some cash and insurance, you hand over slice after slice of your life. Instead of putting your time and talents to work in service of your dreams, you put your time and talents to work in support of someone else’s. 

If you’re lucky, the work they ask you to do is work you enjoy doing. But even then, the question remains: if you had invested all that time and effort into achieving your own goals … where would you be?