Wait, do you mean..rude? Or, you might possibly mean crude? No, you read it right my friend, nude. 

As in stripped of your royal robes down to your shiny birthday suit. Or, in the case that you just got laid off, then it probably feels more like a birthday suit dragged through the mud with prickly burs all over you. Speaking from personal experience (this month marks my Layoff-aversary). 

The wise Warren Buffett once said, ​​

“Only when the tide goes out do you learn who has been swimming naked.” 

Needless to say (but saying it anyway), my first thought goes, “Is that supposed to be a bad thing?” 

Whether it’s good or bad depends on the viewer. What Warren Buffett really meant was this:

In the financial sector, when market conditions are favorable, it's easy for companies and investors to look good or be successful, even if their financial health behind the curtain isn’t solid. But, when the economic landscape becomes challenging (the tide goes out), those who weren’t prepared or were taking excessive risks (swimming naked) are exposed. 

This metaphor doesn’t just apply to financial markets. It's a candid expression that describes what happens when previously hidden truths are finally revealed. Sobering truths. Major ones. The kind that expose the capitalist system, companies and individuals down to their core . You find out who’s been playing the respectable game of preparation and resilience vs those that’ve been playing the zero sum game of perception.

We’ll come back to this. For now, let’s take a look at the job market situation. 

According to layoffs.fyi, over 50,000 employees have been laid off so far in 2024 AND we’re only in March. 

From the data, it seems like the Tech sector must be an outlier. The Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics shows an increase of 275,000 US jobs for the month of February.

Well why is this happening? 

The name of the game right now is profitability. Prior to this shift, investors have rewarded companies who exemplified the “growth at all costs” model (which only exacerbated during the pandemic as the need for tech solutions surged). 

But as interest rates have increased, money becoming more expensive to borrow, fear of recession and inflation pain, the new rules have changed how companies play–turning the landscape into its own version of Hunger Games. 

So here’s the first sobering truth: 

Humans are expensive to employ. 

Depending on the role, the hiring process takes 3 to 6 months, the onboarding process takes 6 months, and the average US tech worker takes 2 to 4 weeks of vacation (which is quite generous for US standards and simultaneously sad for global standards). Companies also have to offer employees benefits. That’s a great thing! Also, very *ahem* expensive. 

This leads to the next truth. If companies hire humans, then..

Humans have to be treated like humans. 

And if they aren’t, they can burnout which compromises productivity, efficiency, and company morale. Humans can also sue companies which isn’t fun for anyone (unless you’re Saul Goodman, then idk)

Overall, this can be a tough thing for large tech companies managing their profit/loss balance sheet with increasing pressure for high performance aka profitability. 

But as you can see below, private equity firms often reward tech companies for the impact layoffs have on their balance sheet:

How does this work? In simple terms, when you layoff workers, you cut costs, when costs are lower, you get to keep more revenue, you increase your margins and therefore, profits. 

Just to be clear, this isn’t a vendetta against tech companies. There are obvious truths we must come to bare (or is it bear? I feel more like the latter! 🧸). Yes, there is no loyalty within companies anymore. We all function as a cog in the machine. Tech is still a volatile industry. 

Now, the focus of this essay isn’t to harp on the dark side of Corporate America and beyond. 

Rather, it’s to focus on what humans can do now as a response to the phenomenon we’re experiencing. 

To clarify, the phenomenon that we’re all witnessing is the beginning of a new era of a labor market where..

The best employee is no employee. 

In Sam Altman’s words, 

“AGI is basically the equivalent of a median human that you could hire as a coworker. And they could say do anything that you’d be happy with a remote coworker doing just behind a computer which includes learning how to go be a doctor, learning how to be a very competent coder. There’s a lot of stuff that a median human is capable of getting good at.” 

Experts argue AGI will be achieved in as little as 5 years . While others including Elon Musk argue it’s already here. 

Either way, we are on the cusp of an AI revolution.

There’s a lot to unpack here. And we can save it for a future article. 

But back to the present moment, what does this mean for us humans? (Promise there’s a silver lining!)

Besides all the tactical stuff (learning about AMT tax if you’re exercising stock options, COBRA health insurance, etc), here are my suggestions if you’ve been recently laid off or you’re part of a company that’s been affected: 

1. The #1 Priority Is Mental Health.

First and foremost, those who have been laid off and their families will be affected. You don’t have to do this alone! I want to encourage you to seek support whether that be a mental health professional, career coach, and/or a community where you can share your grievances be validated in them. Humans are social beings and we need each other to not only survive but to thrive. 

Also, the coworkers closest to recently laid off employees. Although AGI is all the buzz right now, we’re not quite there yet. For most companies, layoffs mean those who weren’t sacrificed on the cutting board must take on the workload of those that were. More responsibility and more work means more stress, less time for personal growth and development, less time for self-care. My guess is burnout numbers will increase beyond the current rate which is already staggering. 

2. Don’t Take It Personally.

As hard as it is to not flip the bird at your now previous employer (it totally makes sense if that’s the 1st, 2nd, 31st reaction), consider this: when the mental dust settles, you can see things with more clarity. The fact that you were laid off has NOTHING to do with your self-worth. You might understand this intellectually but that doesn’t mean you’re a robot. The flurry of emotions that come with being let go can feel like rejection. I’d imagine you felt frustrated, angry, and disappointed as you resisted the urge to chuck your monitor over the 5th story balcony. That’s human. Embrace your humanity and find healthy ways to express your emotional life through support (mentioned above). 

3. Do NOT Rush Into the Next Gig (if you can afford it).

Take some time for clarity. Let the flying-sediment-smacking-you-in-the-face settle. Sometimes, our survival mode kicks in to find the next job and this makes sense if you’re supporting a family or in dire financial need. But let’s say you’re if you have the cushion of a solid severance package and savings (which companies with any morsel of integrity should be doing), consider a Sabbatical which you so deserve! Another job won’t change your life but perhaps taking some time away from the grindstone might.

Go snorkel with the Dolphins, “Wim Hof” your way up Mount Everest, or embark on a culinary adventure through the bustling streets of Saigon (may I suggest having Pho for breakfast? 😉 ).

I get it. Layoffs suck. But it isn’t the end of the world. Or actually, if you choose, it might be the beginning of a whole new one.

For many of us, getting laid off can be a beautiful thing. Personally for me, it was profoundly liberating. It’s the most alive I’ve felt in years. After 12+ years in what many would consider a successful career in tech, for the first time in a long time, I felt my spirit ignite with call for adventure. A small taste of freedom can go a long way.

The company logo, the fancy role, the attractive comp package (aka golden handcuffs)—none of it defines us. It’s tricky. The cushy job can put you into a weird sort of trance—the kind that convinces you that your previous life force energy is worth giving up in trade for money. The kind that keeps you from taking exciting risks yet torments you with regrettable “what ifs.”

Each and everyone of us has that wise inner voice that speaks to us when we’re not doing what nourishes our souls.

That inner voice says:

It’s time to see that with 4K clarity. Only then can you really see the layoff for what it’s really worth: a golden opportunity to go naked. To bare it all. Au naturel. Rebirthed into the world again with a renewed sense of purpose.

In other words, you can reinvent yourself. Because there is zero obligation to commit to a binding contract that locks you into the corporate world. When you come to this realization (as I have), you can really embrace this wild experience as an opportunity gifted to you.

As Yuval Harari says,

“AI is not even near its full potential; it’s just in its infancy. We haven’t seen anything yet. So, every 10 years, you are likely to lose your job or your job is going to be completely transformed by the new wave of the latest machine learning wizardry. And if you want to stay in the game, you will have to basically reinvent yourself — and not just once, but repeatedly.”

It’s not an option. It’s a necessity. 

We need to develop the skill of reinventing ourselves.

In the context of our careers, it’s how we make money, how we reach fulfillment, and how we become a contributing member of society.

So, here’s your opportunity. You can shed the corporate layers you’ve worn for so long and feel more liberated in your own skin.

This doesn’t mean you never go back into tech. There’s nothing wrong with a predictable salary and benefits—which has their own charm in a weird way. But, if you’ve been dreading getting up every morning to just zombie walk your way to yet another boring Zoom call about who-cares-what, then this could be the wakeup call you’ve been waiting for.

It’s the possibility you could play an entirely different game. One with more freedom, more excitement, more adventure.

However, this new game requires you to enter the void where the possibilities are limitless. It’s the realm of uncertainty that can be pretty freakin’ scary. But, it can also be totally worth it.

As poet Mary Oliver says,

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

There you have it. It’s time to embrace your nude awakening. 

P.S. We’re all in this together.

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There once was a rabbit who washed ashore to an unfamiliar land. This rabbit was found unconscious, his body moved by strong waves across the ocean until it met the shore of this new land. From a distance, a tall dark figure came closer to the shore, its silhouette getting bigger and bigger by stride. As the sun rose above the horizon, the silhouette gave way to the colorful figure of handsome Grey Wolf. The Wolf sniffed the rabbit, realized he was alive, and with his jaws, slung the rabbit onto his back. 

Days later, the rabbit woke up to find himself in a warm cozy cave. His gaze turned to the wolf. And he spoke, “I’m hungry..can you please give me some food?” The wolf replied facetiously, “Well, I wanted to ask you the same.” A warm smile appeared on the wolf’s face. And out of the darkness, a pack of wolves emerged surrounding the rabbit. Coming to his senses, the rabbit’s survival instincts kicked in as he jumped for escape. His body was too weak and he collapsed into the bed. “Don’t worry,” the wolf reassured. “We aren’t going to eat you. We will give you the food you seek. But I sense that’s not the only thing you seek.” 

The rabbit still hesitant to trust, replied “The land I come from suffers. The animals suffer too. I don’t know how to help them but I wish for every being to not have to suffer.” 

The wolf took a moment of silence to take this in and smirked, “You took so long to get here. I thought you got lost. We’ve been waiting for you.” 

From then on, the rabbit was taken in and treated like family. Seen once as prey, Rabbit became initiated into the tribe. And became just as strong in spirit as the other wolves. He learned the Ways of the Wolf, how to listen as the land speaks, how to honor the animals before him, how to dance unapologetically,  the art of making love deeply, howl without reserve, practice magic and rituals, how to find joy in every moment of life and ultimately, an intimate sense of belonging. “A togetherness that feels like home,” Rabbit felt. 

During his last ceremony with the wolves, Grey Wolf honored him with a new name, Howling Rabbit. For the rabbit’s howl even perked the ears of the wolves’ predators. As a parting gift, Howling Rabbit was gifted with the fur of a wolf, passed down generation to generation. “This will keep you warm and protect you.” Rabbit gratefully accepted. Upon leaving the wolf pack to head back to his homeland, Rabbit was granted permission to teach the Ways of the Wolf to those who were seeking something more in their lives. Equipped with the most rarest of gifts, he makes his way back to his homeland.

Within his first year back home, Rabbit built a following of devout practitioners. Mostly rabbits that inhabit the same land as him. After just months of practice, they learned how to find much gratitude and joy in every moment. They danced, they sand, they laughed. Life couldn’t be better! Such vigor and vibrancy was brought back to the land of rabbits that once felt so lonely and malnourished. In his devotion to healing all beings, Rabbit found true meaning in his life. He couldn’t be happier and his howling brought more rabbits from other lands to seek his wisdom and knowledge. 

A few years go by. Howling Rabbit is now a teacher to thousands of rabbits. He is overwhelmed by the responsibility of teaching so many students. Students that were eager to end their own suffering. However, the sacrifice to his students took time away from his own litter birthed by his beloved wife. He didn’t have time to teach and feed his family at the same time. To solve this problem, he began asking for food as an exchange for his teachings. Something reasonable like 3 carrots per student. He also began teaching his most advanced students the ways of being a teacher. To teach them the Ways of the Wolf:

how to listen as the land speaks, how to honor the animals before him, how to dance unapologetically, the art of making love deeply, howl without reserve, practice magic and rituals, how to find joy in every moment of life and ultimately, an intimate sense of belonging.

His students became teachers. And they built their own following of students with great success, great fame and great riches. During this time, Howling Rabbit only took on a small manageable group of students and spent most of his time with his family, living a simple rabbit life. He observed his teachers from a distance and what he saw overtook him with disappointment. 

• Flashy Rabbit garnered the largest following from across the seas. His love affair for flair left everyone in his sight enamored by every word he spoke. He soaked the limelight like a sponge. With this high status, he charged 100 carrots per student. A significant price to pay compared to his own teacher’s ask. Even further, he required all student female rabbits to mate with him. “It’s the only way to deepen the gifts of the divine,” he would say. Under a hypnotic spell, his followers would comply without question. Needless to say, Flashy lost grasp of his own teachings immersed in style over substance. 

• Witchy Rabbit had a gift for magic. And with that, a vigor to teach those who desired to practice. With this passion, however, she lost sight of her students intentions in practicing magic. For a practice that takes times to master, her students desire for power outpaced their patience. Their powers grew too quickly for their own bodies to channel. And one day while casting an ambitious spell, their bodies imploded, bathing their altar with blood and rabbit guts.

• Scowling Rabbit was the most intense of the group. They spent the most time honing the anger inside and alchemizing the energy to do something good. Such as fighting for equality for all rabbits. Unfortunately, upon teaching the ways of howling to their students, the emotion of anger was lost in translation. In fervent passion, Scowling’s students crossed sacred lands of the Tiger to demand justice for the rabbits considered “simply prey.” The whereabouts of these rabbit trespassers is still unknown today. However, it’s been rumored that the Tigers have grown a particular fondness for “Hare Soup.”

• Wandering Rabbit wanted more. The teachings felt stale and old-school. Similar to Witchy, he considered the practice took too long to master — long enough to engulf three lifetimes of a single rabbit. So he decided to learn from other masters beyond Howling Wolf for a practice that can reach the pinnacle of bliss faster. He created his own teaching and began to adorn a Buffalo hide calling himself, Roaming Rabbit. In actuality, he is doing alright. Although, he has never met a real buffalo or paid homage to their lands before.  

• White Rabbit had the most devout students. She was the most serious student and now teacher of the Way of the Wolf. White brought a sense of sacredness to each moment of practice. Even diving deeper into the mysteries of the Wolf moreso than her own teacher. So what happened? White did not accept any rabbits with fur different than hers. She claimed, “The purity of these teachings must not be tarnished.” Brown, black, grey, and spotted rabbits were not allowed. In truth, she could not tell the difference from one brown rabbit to the next. Often, mistaking one for the other. Little did she realize her own teacher’s teacher, was Grey Wolf. 

In response, Howling Rabbit gathered his teachers together. With love and warmth, he shared his concerns and encouraged them to continue practicing the Way of the Wolf or else they would lose sight of the truth of the teachings. Several of his student-teachers recognized their own animalness and were humbled with their mistakes. While others such as Roaming Rabbit found their own path that felt truer for them. 

The story of Roaming Rabbit doesn’t end pleasantly. On a blistering hot day, a herd of buffalo approached Roaming’s land. At the front of this herd appeared to be a pink buffalo. We shall call him Pink. The rabbits reacted in commotion as they’ve never seen real buffalo before. “What are these beasts!” they cried. The closer the herd approached the more apparent it was that they were giants compared to rabbits. Despite the contrast in size, Roaming held his ground not knowing what he was about to face. Within paw’s length, Pink and his herd towered in front of the rabbit clan. Pink’s skin was blistered and scabbed baring pure flesh and bone. Bloodshot eyes bulging from his sockets. His body aching with the absence of..fur. 

“I believe you have taken something that belongs to me.” Pink sputtered. 

“And what do you believe that to be?” Roaming replied with defiance. His buffalo fur was so large that it wore him. One could barely see his ears poking out let alone his eyes. No wonder he didn’t see what was coming.

An argument ensued. No one listened to the other. Accusations were made and it was too late for resolution. The conflict escalated and the buffalo herd stampeded across the rabbit village destroying everything. They didn’t stop there. With vengeance, across the lands, they killed every rabbit they saw, whether or not they were with Roaming. A true tragedy. Yet, no one really stopped to ask if Roaming’s buffalo skin was truly authentic. It is rumored he acquired it from snake merchants in the “Amazon.”

Unfortunately, the massacre severely dwindled the rabbit population. What was left of the species gathered together to mourn. They cried, sang, even danced. It is in such suffering that they found solace in their faith and the Way of the Wolf. They lived nourishing lives reconnecting to the earth, to each other, and to Spirit. After some time, the rabbit grew back to a healthy number. 

Years go by. The population of rabbits has increased exponentially. Howling Wolf dies. A portrait of him wearing his wolf fur sits on the altar of every rabbit. Although it has diluted over time, his teachings continue to live on. Years of devoted practice have been compressed into weekend workshops. Translations into squirrel, raccoon, and deer language have been written into books of stone. Unfortunately, most of them don’t have a knack for reading. 

More years go by. Rabbits have lost their joy. They stopped listening to the land and honoring the animals before them. Dancing became a chore. They even forgot how to howl. Magic and rituals were abandoned to make way for newer technologies. And even with a healthy population of rabbits, what once was a survival mechanism has now transformed into an obsession with procreating.  And just as the sacred teachings became diluted generation after generation, the “art of making love deeply” too lost its potency.

In place of it, came its distilled and distorted form, “making love furiously.” And over time, just “making furiously.” Rabbits making more rabbits furiously.

And that my friends, is the origin of the saying, “they f*ck like rabbits.”