Never Again

Years ago, while in my last corporate job, I was part of a small team selected to "work the booth" at the big annual trade conference. This meant meeting people, making small talk, and pretending to be excited about our products. That last part was becoming increasingly difficult for me, given that our products were built to help our clients sell more stuff to their customers. Hardly mission-driven work.

My colleagues and I wore matching purple polyester-blend shirts with the company logo. We looked like some sort of too-old coed fraternity. Mine (ordered for me by someone who had clearly never met me in person) was officially way too big, so I spent the trip looking like I'd given up all hope of ever feeling attractive again - as if the glare of the fluorescent lights wasn't enough.

I got a little punchy working the booth and started to sound like a carnival barker, suggesting to the people (potential clients!) walking the conference expo floor to step right up.

Oh, the things we do for money and employer-sponsored health insurance.

I was having an out-of-body experience the entire trip, feeling like I'd stumbled into someone else's life. I pretended to be excited but secretly wished there would be some sort of city-wide power outage that would force us to evacuate the expo hall and go home early.

If there was an Academy Award for Best Actress At A Conference Pretending to be Extremely Enthusiastic About Her Job, I'd have won it.

I vowed to myself - NEVER AGAIN.

Was there a time early in my career when it was exciting to be tapped to work the booth? Absolutely. But those days were long gone and I knew it deep in my soul.

I bet some of you know the feeling of NEVER AGAIN all too well. Some of you might be feeling it right now. I want you to know that there's a way out.