Opportunities People Don't Want

Today’s Topics

• Double Whammy: The Weight We Carry + The Work We Refuse💥

• An Advantage 📒

  5 Mins Read Time

Double Whammy: The Weight We Carry + The Work We Refuse💥

By Jo

It’s a full-time job trying to keep people with low self-esteem lifted—especially when you're carrying some of that same weight yourself. And truthfully, no one puts more pressure on you than you. At least, I hope that's the case for whoever is reading this.

We’ve officially entered an era where data and information are more accessible than ever. Because of that, it's no surprise that many people choose the path of least resistance. Efficiency is prioritized. Convenience is rewarded. And laziness? Well, it now hides behind the curtain of “optimization.”

Take a look around: factory jobs, warehouse work, trades once respected for their grit and stability—now they're met with hesitance or outright rejection. Bringing these jobs back to America sounds great on paper.

Politically, it’s a rallying cry. Economically, it seems like a win. But do we ever stop to think about the real cost?

It’s no longer “sexy” to be a factory worker. Manual labor is stigmatized, even though it built the backbone of this country. Young workers see the toll—the worn-out knees, the bad backs, the underpaid overtime—and they’re saying no. And honestly? Can you blame them?

We’ve outgrown the era of busted knuckles and chronic joint pain—especially when the pay isn’t even enough to live comfortably. This is a generational shift in mindset. Our values are changing. Comfort, flexibility, and purpose now rank higher than tradition or loyalty to physical labor.

That’s not laziness—it’s evolution.

And yet, as AI advances and automation creeps into more corners of the job market, the irony is hard to ignore. People worry about machines taking jobs—but they underestimate the human element required in almost every kind of meaningful work. No AI can understand the subtlety, nuance, or politics behind most business deliverables. Not without context. Not without purpose.

Change management is the missing link in so many conversations about automation. You can have the smartest system in the world, but without people guiding that system, interpreting its output, or adjusting its path—what good is it?

The truth is, younger generations aren’t lazy. They’re just refusing to settle. Refusing to be another body in a system that doesn't value their long-term well-being. If that makes us hard to manage, then maybe it’s the system—not the people—that needs changing.

An Advantage 📒

By Marcus

In the prologue Vote On Yourself, we explored why it’s time to stop waiting on others and start taking charge.

In Part I - The CEO Arc, we laid the foundation for owning your outcomes through self-leadership.

In Part II -Your Employee Type, we broke down the six core job types so you can better align with what fits your strengths.

Now in Part III - An Advantage, we’ll explore how advantages—whether you like them or not—are hardcoded into society.

When you’re the CEO of your life, it’s your job to analyze the playing field and develop a winning strategy.

A Primer

I’m beginning to feel like a broken record, but here it is again:

Most of us are born into a system that expects us to work.

The workforce is competitive by design, constantly replacing people seen as “weak links.” Many jobs treat people more like replaceable parts than human beings who want to live meaningful, decent lives.

When I was younger, I spent too much time thinking about how unfair that was. I believed everyone should have certain things.

Looking back, that mindset held me back.

The turning point for me was when I came to accept this as my reality:

That shift helped me lean into what I could control—leveraging my strengths and advantages to drive meaningful progress in my life.

This week’s article outlines a few types of advantages you might have (or build) as CEO of your life.

Intelligence Advantage

• You’re smarter than most. Certain things just click for you. You don’t always have to work harder because you work smarter.

• But be careful—sometimes being “too smart for your own good” creates blind spots. Your ego can trick you into thinking you’ve got it all figured out when you don’t.

Work Ethic Advantage

• You show up and execute. Your consistency and drive are elite. Everything feels earned—and that makes you dangerous.

• But hard work alone isn’t always rewarded. You’ll still need to sharpen your communication, networking, or strategy skills to fully level up.

Luck Advantage

• Right place, right time, right opportunity. Sometimes, just showing up is the win.

• People like to pretend luck didn’t play a role, but it often does. And no one should feel guilty about a break going their way.

Youth Advantage

• Youth offers freedom: time to experiment, lower risk, and more flexibility.

• You have time on your side. Learn from others’ mistakes and compound your growth early.

• This might be the most underused advantage of all. Because it’s less apparent how much of an edge being young provides you…when you’re young.

Parental Advantage

• Hate them or love them, your parents can be one of your biggest advantages. They’ve experienced much of what you will in your life and are in the best position to set you up for success.

• Of course, not all parents are equal. Some do harm. Being raised by a single parent myself, I know firsthand how their absence—or presence—shapes your journey.

Family & Friends Advantage

• It’s all about who you know in this world. Your network is a resource. If your friends or family open doors, walk through them.

• Some families operate like corporations, leveraging generational connections and resources. That’s the payoff for decades of groundwork. Don’t be afraid to benefit from it.

Human + AI Advantage

• AI isn’t going away—it’s a freight train accelerating rapidly. And while the fear is real, the opportunity is massive.

• Learn it. Leverage it. Let it multiply your efforts. AI doesn’t replace you—it replaces the person who doesn’t use it.

• Incorporating AI tools into your daily life is one of the best advantages you can create for yourself. The world is gearing up to run on AI rails and yes jobs will be lost, but new opportunities will be created. Be in position to take advantage of what’s to come.

Use What You Have to Change What You Can

Most people don’t have all of these advantages.

The point is to maximize the ones you do have.

Very few of us are dealt a perfect hand. But the CEO mindset allows you to adapt, strategize and move forward.

You’re the one responsible for vision and execution in your life. That means making the best use of the tools, insights, and leverage you do have.

What’s also important is that by using your advantages, you can directly impact your life and the lives of others. You can now contribute by creating the change that creates the world you believe should exist…

Summer.…. Summer.… Summer… Time…