Authenticity is a big deal, and I’ve been thinking a lot about it lately–what it means to be unapologetically, unflinchingly yourself in a world that loves its filters and façades. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my 30+ years of saying what I mean in this industry (and sometimes meaning what I probably shouldn’t have said), it’s this: being real is disarming. It throws people…
Let’s talk about ego. You know, that little voice in my head that tells me I’m always right, that I deserve more credit, that I’m the smartest person in the room. It might feel like my best friend sometimes, pumping me up and giving me confidence. But trust me on this: my ego is not my amigo. Ego doesn’t make me better. It doesn’t make…
Follow up post to Burnout: The Slow Death You Don’t See Coming. As promised, this is my plan for coming back from burnout stronger than before. This is a three-phase, six-week plan I created based on my own personal experience with burnout. I’ve been here enough times, and now I want to build habits that make my return (to burnout) less likely. If you find…
Burnout isn’t loud. It doesn’t knock on your door screaming, “Hey, I’m here to ruin your life!” No, it creeps in, one small step at a time, until you wake up one day wondering why you hate everything and why even the thought of another email makes you want to set your laptop on fire. Sound familiar? Yeah, me too. Let’s get real: burnout is…
For those who know me, you know I’m a squirrel. ADHD has always been a curse, but squirrels have value too dammit! Truth is, ADHD is partly to blame for me neglecting to update this site (evanfrancen.com). Since we’re talking about ADHD. Here’s what Mayo Clinic has to say about the matter (rumor has it, they’re pretty credible). Adult ADHD symptoms may include: Impulsiveness – CHECK Disorganization…
If you work in this field (information security) long enough, burn out is something you’re sure to encounter. You will fight against burn out yourself, meet somebody who is on the verge of burn out, or sadly, meet someone who has already burned out. We work our asses off. The hours are long. The stress is real. Isolation comes with the territory. If you are…