Summary: I shared my 2020 reflection with my colleagues at work during a small group activity. Getting a new job at Bain & Company was the most significant thing that happened in 2020 for me. I experienced an abundance of money which led me to achieve more financially.
A few weeks ago, I participated in a small group activity during my department’s (virtual) end of year meeting. It involved building Legos, which brought out the kid in me, and I thought it was super fun. The first part was to choose one of the designs in the instructional manual and build it– a warm-up of sorts. The second part was to alter the build from the first part to represent something significant in 2020 for you.
I shared my response with my colleagues during the wrap-up of the activity, and they were especially moved. I thought I’d share it here too, since I feel strongly about my truth for 2020.
Part 1 Task
I chose to build the alligator from the instruction manual because it looked like the easiest one to build. It was mid-December, the last full week of work before the holiday break, and I’d had a hectic past few months at work. I didn’t have much mental energy to do more than what was asked.
It was simply a fun time, getting paid to build Legos, and nonchalantly bonding with my colleagues. I told them “I’m more of a doer than a thinker,” which some related with and they all laughed.
Check out the alligator:
Part 2 Task
When we were given the prompt to alter the original build to represent something significant in 2020 for ourselves, I felt a little anxious. First, I don’t consider myself to be a creative person; it’s one area that I could develop more personally and professionally. Second, I had to think, and like I said before, I’m more of a doer than a thinker.
So I thought, just keep it simple and be honest. That always works. I took my alligator and put him on one end of a land piece. Then I added little dots in a pile to the other end of the land piece.
Check out the alligator altered:
What I Shared with My Colleagues
The most significant thing that happened in 2020 for me was getting a new job at Bain & Company. I built an alligator in the first part and then for this second part I put him on some land and he’s moving towards this pile of food over here which is supposed to represent abundance. 2020 was a year of abundance for me.
Let me start by acknowledging my privileges. In 2020, I’m happy to be alive and healthy and still have a job. And in my life, it has never been my goal to acquire as much money as I can nor has money ever been a life or death matter for me.
I started my career as a high school math teacher. As you know, no teacher works because of the money. I managed my money well and I lived within my means. As a single person with no kids living in suburban Wisconsin, it was pretty easy. I left teaching to go into this field of digital learning partly because I wanted to get paid what I was worth. That’s all I ever want is to get paid what I’m worth. Then I moved to Chicago and worked at Omnicom Media Group for a year and a half. Thanks to a slight salary increase, again I was able to manage my money well and live within my means despite a higher cost of living now. But by the end of my time there, I felt dissatisfied. It’d been a year and a half with no performance review and no salary increase in sight. I only ever wanted to get paid what I was worth.
In March, I was contacted by a recruiter at Bain, and fast forward two weeks, I got an offer and accepted to work at Bain. Now I’m definitely paid what I’m worth, and I was able to experience an abundance of money. My spending habits didn’t change; in fact, I spent considerably less this year because of COVID-19 since I didn’t travel or go out any more.
I’d always been good with my money. I knew how to live comfortably and for myself. But with my salary now, I was able to achieve financial goals I never even imagined. In 8 months at Bain, my total 401k contributions were 50% more than in my 1.5 years at Omnicom. I also opened a Roth IRA for the first time in my life and maxed it out in 5 months. I even had money to open a personal brokerage account. I saved enough money to buy an engagement ring for my girlfriend next year. I can actually see myself affording to buy a house and supporting a family with my income and taking care of my parents as they get older.
That’s why the most significant thing for me in 2020 was getting a new job at Bain & Company, and this year was a year of abundance for me. I’ve very very very privileged to say that.
There you have it. My 2020 reflection was overwhelming positive with my new job and how I was able to able to achieve more financially. Make no doubt about it, every day I look out my window and I’m grateful for everything that I have.
Tyler Banh 