United by Work

I’m really thankful you are joining me for this first edition of the Young Professional Trap (YPT) Newsletter. While today is just another day, New Year’s Day has a way of unifying people around the goal of doing better.

Better. A single word that for many is a lifelong pursuit. While I could write a more eloquent definition of my vision for the Young Professional Trap, my goal is just that, better.

• Better Work Outcomes

• Better Marriages

• Better Parents

• Better Friendships

I have great hope that my weekly musings can be a small part of your “better” in 2025. 

Division → Unity

So, as we start a brand new year, I wanted to spend today’s newsletter focused on the topic of unity. It doesn’t take much to see that 2024 brought plenty of division.

My family has felt our version of this pain and sadness very tangibly, and I’m sure that you have as well. As an American, it could be easy to place blame on the election cycle, but I believe the tendency of mankind to divide is a much deeper issue. 

Now, I won’t pretend to be a historian, a cultural anthropologist, or a political science expert, so let me avoid going down too many rabbit holes and focus on where I believe I can bring a credible perspective. That being WORK.

One of the triggers that compelled me to start the Young Professional Trap is when I’ve overheard or read conversations that take on one of two tones:

1. I work to live or

2. I live to work

These two sentiments can be found in almost every conversation I’m a part of that ventures into someone’s thoughts about their job or career.

I struggle with how viral it has become to talk and post about “what really matters”, namely, one’s life or family. Let me be the first to say, family is first, but I also believe the work-life balance concept has been taken way too far. 

2025 marks my 10th year as Founder & CEO of The Grit Group, and next to my marriage and parenting, my work has developed my character and grown me as a person more than anything else.  I firmly believe that work is fundamentally good for us and when we are in a right relationship with our work, it is good for our marriages, parenting, friendships, and life on the whole. 

So, why are we so hell-bent on creating division between work and life? My answer. We have the wrong definition of the meaning of work. And that is one of many reasons that we all fall into the Young Professional Trap. 

A Challenge For Better

Here is my challenge to you for creating “better” in this new year. 

Work is something that universally connects us as people. We all work. Whether we are business people, non-profit leaders, or stay-at-home parents, these are all forms of work, work that matters!

Consider this visual from the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer and think about how we talk about work vs how we talk about government. Both have dignity and value. But I think we overlook the influence that businesses can have on our ability to flourish as human beings. We are right to want good from our government and policies, but it is also right to place hope in our work to make our country (and world) a better place for everyone.

Now, I don’t think anyone overlooks the potential financial rewards from work, and how financial well-being connects to flourishing. There can be great hope connected to wealth. 

However, what I want us to focus on is how work fosters our growth as individuals. When we work, we are part of a team, and that team has a mission. The team has all kinds of different people with different skills and experiences, and that team has to work together to accomplish their goals. 

Our work teams bring the opportunity to engage with people who are different than you in age, gender, race, political views, and personality types.

What an OPPORTUNITY! An opportunity to create shared experiences where you value one another for the skills and competencies that you uniquely bring to the table. An opportunity to build bridges and cultivate unity.

While this sounds simple, what diminishes its impact is when we say:

• It’s just work or

• Focus on what really matters

The purpose of work is so much more than a means to an end. Work is fundamentally good for us as humans. So don’t allow yourself to fall trap to these oversimplifications. Don’t fall trap to dumbing work down to less than it is. 

Work presents an opportunity for us to unify people who are walking into this year bruised and battered by the reality of the brokenness in our country today. 

If you have subscribed to this newsletter, then I have great hope that you WANT to join me in the fight for the dignity of WORK. Let’s make 2025 a year that values work and leverages the opportunities it presents to grow as people and to spread unity throughout our teams, families, and communities. 

If this stirred up anything for you, feel free to respond directly to the email and I’d love to hear your thoughts!

With Hope and Gratitude for what our work can do in 2025!

Alex