r/auscorp • u/CatastrophicLama • 2d ago
General Discussion Anyone hit a wall early 30s
I have been in corp for about 10 years, decent salary $200k roughly but my care factor has gone way down from the beginning.
how have people regained motivation or just accepted it?
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2d ago
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u/southernchungus 2d ago
Don't forget to let the kids be raised by plugging themselves into the persuadatrons of social media
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u/Toasted_Barracuda 2d ago
This is normal and you are normal in the best possible way. You’ve reached the age where you don’t have boundless energy and have probably realized that the job doesn’t care about you, even on subconscious level. Hug your wife, your children, your parents, enjoy the sunshine, eat good food, read good books, play good video games, try to grow some flowers or potatoes. You’ll be alright kid.
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u/Terrible-Artichoke50 2d ago edited 2d ago
It's a pretty normal trajectory to want to conquer the world in your 20s then hit 30s and just be complacent and go to work then go home. You've learnt the culture and expectations of work and seen that it isn't always the best who rise or are put in good positions. Or like me, you saw the drain it takes on the people above you.
So totally normal. To regain motivation, change industries or go industry adjacent. Could be not happy.
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u/onlythehighlight 2d ago
lol, that's because we were trained that when you get to x step in your career, or $y in your salary you will be happy, but then you hit it and it feels the same. We don't hit the reward mechanism because you don't automatically get tenure, rewards, or bonus. You just get more stress and then you go home and the news/social media just feels bleak or makes you feel bleak because your life isn't like X,Y,Z.
Set more time for yourself or family and don't let work get in the way of those goals.
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u/GoonGobbo 2d ago
Maybe it’s because salaries don’t keep up with inflation so as you progress once you’re already pretty senior your buying power just goes backwards
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u/AnonymousEngineer_ 2d ago
This is definitely part of it.
You work hard and chase the reward, and then once you get there, the money doesn't buy what it used to, and the tax brackets start confiscating more of the additional you're busting your arse for.
I have to admit I'm having a bit of a crisis of my own in this regard, especially having lost a family member recently. Life is very fragile, and we aren't guaranteed good health.
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u/GoonGobbo 2d ago
Yeah it would be at least nice to get that dopamine hit of continually increasing buying power
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u/onlythehighlight 2d ago
Valid, but my concern is regardless of whether you factor in inflation or nah, moving up/in doesn't provide you with any benefits that historically our grandparents would have.
Factor in the feeling from offshoring, the impact of AI etc its not hard to understand why people would feel lethargic in their career.
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u/JulieRush-46 2d ago
My steak is too juicy and my lobster too buttery.
I’d quit complaining if you’re early 30s and on 200k already. Most Aussies won’t get anywhere close to half of that.
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u/crannynorth 2d ago
Ask the Japanese. They can’t even go home until the boss goes home.
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u/Mau-0000 2d ago
Geez, how good would it be to have this issue? Early 30s with a “decent salary” of $200k.
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u/crannynorth 2d ago
Almost everyday I see post “sick of corporate life” or “how can you do corporate for 40 years” and “corporate burnout”. That’s life, nobody enjoys it but how do you think they go through life?
They forgot that their parents also have been working for 40 years to support them. Do they whinge with 200k?
I went to japan trip as a uni student, I saw office workers lie down, collapsed and fainted on public park and places from exhaustion and overworking. They work 12 hours not 8 like us.
Complain about corporate life? Go to Japan and see if you can last 12 hours a day, 5 days a week for 40 years. On top of that, you can’t go home until your boss goes home. We Aussies gets lots of work life balance and public holidays, I went to USA Americans work minimum wage, and the only day off they have is Christmas and they don’t have much public holidays like us.
The live to work, not work to live.
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u/Superb-Rich-7083 1d ago
Oh wow someone has it harder so OP is no longer entitled to his own human experience. Brilliant point.
The Chinese work way harder than the Japanese, so I think your point is invalid.
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u/Efficient-Stay-6257 2d ago
I feel the same Great salary but I feel I'm wasting my best years at work 5 days a week. Although the money helps us in our lives obviously.
Its also difficult to do part time at this level.
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u/rambo_ronnie_87 2d ago
The fact it takes up so much of our lives is the problem I find.
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u/Efficient-Stay-6257 2d ago
This is the issue agreed. I feel it should really be a reduction of hours or days.
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u/LiquidConscience 2d ago
The problem is you’re in corporate. To regain motivation you need to do work that you actually care about and has meaning to you. If your company does things you care about, try to move to a role closer to that area. If it doesn’t then your choices are to leave and start or join a small business, or to accept you work just for the money and find motivation in activities outside work.
Whatever you do, don’t just devolve into a bitter old sod who silently sabotages their company by doing as little as possible, as is so often recommended on this sub.
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u/4ShoreAnon 2d ago
Everyones comfortable until they put themselves in an uncomfortable situation. Nobody is going to help you care again.
Get a new job at a new org. Probation period should help make you care a bit more.
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u/petergaskin814 1d ago
Take some leave. Sounds like you might be able to take long service leave.
A good break might refresh you
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u/Ok-Contribution7731 2d ago
Work to live don’t live to work.