One of my blog crushes, Rohan Rajiv, wrote a post wondering ‘what makes it worth paying the tax‘. To succinctly paraphrase, every job has its downsides – the tax. What are the upsides that make it worth paying? Focus on those.

It’s a variation on a theme that resonates strongly with me, even if I often struggle with it. Focus on the positives and keep rolling. Concentrate on what you can do and get that done. The downsides aren’t to be ignored, but they’re a corollary to creating positive change.

In recent weeks it’s been a real battle for me to get motivated about my day job. Reflecting on this tax theme, I’ve been able to re-frame things in a better way. I aim to freelance once I’ve lifted some financial constraints and my current employer is precisely the kind of client that I’d like to have on my books. Perhaps oddly, feeling that I have a fee-paying client has helped me see the downsides as no more than a tax; now I can focus my energy on delivering all I can for them.