Even though I'm doing my best at work, why is life still so hard?
mid-career · late 40s
In My Late 40s, My Paycheck Starts Getting Delayed
Whenever I see young CEOs, a question pops up in my mind:
“What have I really done with my life up to this age?”
It’s not that I didn’t work hard. I thought deeply about my job and always gave my best.
I believed that if I worked hard, both the company and I would do well, but the reality I’m facing in my late 40s is completely different from that belief.
Changing jobs isn’t easy anymore, and I don’t have the capital to start a business. Naturally, one question keeps coming back to me.
“Where did I go wrong?”
Believing That Hard Work Alone Would Make Me an Executive
For a long time, I lived with the belief that “if I work hard, I can become an executive someday.”
But as I got older, reality slowly started to reveal itself.
No matter how hard you work,
if there is no visible result, it doesn’t mean much.
Results rely not only on you, but also the team, environment, and
luck.
In the end, hard work alone doesn’t guarantee results — or promotion.
In Your 40s, Skill Alone Is Not Enough for Promotion
Even with good results and luck, promotion in your 40s is not based on skill alone.
Companies have an unspoken cap on manager/director roles.
Promotion becomes competition not only within your team but across departments.
When skills are similar, relationships with evaluators matter more.
In the end, promotion requires skill + relationships + timing.
My 11 Years of Hard Work Ended Not in a Title, but in Resignation
In my mid-40s, I realized I couldn’t even reach manager level — and I left.
Those 11 years did not lead to a promotion, but to resignation.
Later, I joined a start-up — and my paychecks began getting delayed.
Self-Employment Wasn’t a Choice – It Was Something I Should Have Prepared For
At one point I asked myself: “Why did I never explore running my own business?”
The average retirement age for office workers is around 49.
Most remaining jobs involve physical labor with low pay.
When I entered my 50s, this reality hit me directly.
Eventually, I realized self-employment was not a choice — it was something I should have prepared for.
“Working Hard” Can Be a Dangerous Illusion at Work
Working hard can become a dangerous illusion — like a frog boiling slowly.
I knew it deep down, but I still believed hard work would eventually save me.
Working hard alone does not solve life.
My life is something I must plan and prepare for myself.
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