All the successful (Hollywood) people that I had been working with, or working for, they had made a ton of money; they were incredibly successful in the industry. But many of them, if not most of them, were just incredibly unhappy.
– Chris’ perspective on Hollywood that made him question his desire to pursue a career in entertainment
Unlocking Success and Balance: Chris Ming’s Remote Work Journey
In the ever-evolving landscape of work, remote work has emerged as a lifestyle choice for many. Meet Chris Ming, a Growth Product Manager in a climate technology company, who not only thrives in this environment but champions its cause. Join us as we delve into his remarkable journey, from uncertainties fresh out of college, the eye-opening world of Hollywood to becoming a remote work advocate.
A Twist of Fate: The Hollywood Dream
After college, Chris found himself at a crossroads. He embarked on a path less traveled, working in his family’s restaurant business. But an influential movie sparked a new aspiration: a career in Hollywood. Despite its reputation for limited remote work options, Chris ventured to Los Angeles, becoming a writer’s assistant with dreams of writing for the screen.
The Turning Point: The Pursuit of Happiness
Surrounded by success in Hollywood, Chris observed a stark reality—those above him weren’t truly content. This realization led to a profound shift in his perspective. He questioned whether Hollywood’s fast-paced and demanding lifestyle aligned with his values and long-term goals.
Remote Work: The Gateway to Autonomy
Remote work beckoned as the solution to Chris’s quest for a balanced and fulfilling life. It granted him autonomy to tailor his daily routine as he saw fit. Whether seeking adventure or tranquility, remote work offered the freedom to manage his choices—a compelling draw for many.
The Transition: Forging a New Path
Understanding what truly mattered, Chris redirected his career trajectory. Networking with Ramit Sethi’s team and creating online educational content marked his pivot into the business world. It was a transformative moment that laid the foundation for his journey as a remote work advocate.
Balancing Act: Work and Life Harmony
Balancing work and life is a unique challenge for each person. Chris, a first-generation Chinese American with a strong work ethic rooted in his family’s restaurant business, brings this dedication to his career. His wife’s support is vital in achieving both personal and professional success, underscoring the importance of collaboration in achieving work-life harmony.
Mastering Time Zones and Calendars
Living in Ireland while working with a U.S.-based company in a different time zone presented its own set of challenges. Chris became a “calendar geek,” mastering the art of “meeting Tetris.” He optimized his schedule to maximize deep work and scrutinized meeting requests to eliminate unnecessary gatherings.
The Power of Journaling
Journaling is a key tool in Chris’s success arsenal. Twice a day, he reflects on what went well and areas for improvement. This practice fuels continuous growth with tight feedback loops, allowing him to strive for those 1% improvements.
Unlocking Remote Opportunities
As a remote work expert, Chris advises against the common mistake of mass-applying through job boards. Instead, he suggests using them for research and targeting smaller companies where personal connections can open doors. Deep research into the company’s culture and strategy, CEO interviews, and blog posts are essential steps.
Early Career Insights
For early career professionals, Chris advocates for in-person or hybrid work experiences. These provide valuable insights into professionalism and aligning career aspirations with core values. While remote work is promising, it’s still in its infancy for many, lacking effective onboarding mechanisms.
Chris Ming’s journey is a testament to the transformative power of choice and reflection. His insights into work-life balance, time management, and remote job hunting are invaluable. As the world adapts to new work paradigms, Chris Ming’s experiences serve as a guiding light for those looking to thrive in the remote work era. Discover more about his journey and wisdom in our podcast.
Connect with Chris
- 🔗 LinkedIn: Connect with Chris on LinkedIn.
- 🔗 The Connection Newsletter: Subscribe to Chris’ newsletter, The Connection, for more insights on how to land your first remote job, move abroad or advance your career.
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Q & A with Chris
Why did you want to Work From Home Forever?
- I was aimless after college. Moved home to upstate NY. Then moved to Los Angeles and got into Hollywood. I picked pretty much the least remote friendly line of work at the time. The only way to make a career in entertainment at the time was to be in LA. It took me about 5 years to get a reasonable trajectory on my career (I didn’t “make it” per se, but I was a writer’s assistant, I had a clear path to actually writing on TV shows). But during those 5 years, I realized: most of the very successful people I met, they weren’t happy. They had achieved unreal levels of success, made Brink trunks with of money, and were unhappy.
- That made me reconsider my choices. It made me think: was it something about this business, this city? It got me thinking about: what if I didn’t need to live here? What if I could live anywhere that I wanted? What would that freedom do for me? That was my impetus for figuring out this remote work thing.
How long have you been Working From Home, Forever?
- 10 years
What trade offs, if any, did you make in order to Work From Home Forever?
- The first tradeoff was choosing a completely different career path. For 5-6 years, all I did was think about the entertainment business. I stopped doing everything. I read 7-10 scripts a week. The only books I read were industry books. The first year, I ate peanut sandwiches for lunch everyday and waited tables at night so I could afford to do my unpaid internship. I didn’t go out for the first 18 months. I stopped exercising And then once this idea about happiness, about the idea of being able to work and live anywhere crawled into my head, I gave it all up. I picked a different career path. It was that important to me.
- Second, this isn’t a trade-off per se, but sort of falls into that category: when I first started working from home, I worked all the time. Because it was really easy to do that. So I worked, I exercised, and on weekends I spent time with my girlfriend, now wife. To be clear: I enjoy work. I wanted to do this. This was my choice, which is why I don’t think of it as a trade-off. But I think it’s worth mentioning because a lot of people think one of the big upsides of work from home is work-life balance. My word of warning is that work-life balance means something different to everyone. Your balance does not equal my balance. And you can be just as driven in an office as you are alone at home, if not more so.
How do you manage work/life balance Working From Home, Forever?
- Some high-level ideas first: like I said, I don’t think I have great work like balance, not in the “traditional” sense anyway. High level first, then tactical I enjoy working. I love learning. I love making. I’m driven by, I think, the need to prove something to someone. In isolation, this would probably lead to some unhealthy and risky behavior…
- BUT… I got lucky. First, I was born a first generation Chinese American. I was raised in a household where the family unit is what’s important. You do what’s best for the whole family. That’s a philosophy I’ve carried into my family today. It balances that ambition.
- Second, I married someone who understood my ambition. She gets it, and she supports it. 5 days out of 7, she has to do bedtime by herself because I live in Ireland and work PST hours, and so I’m on calls from 8:30pm on.
- Tactical things I do to manage work/life balance: I’m a big believer that structure creates freedom. So I build as much structure as possible. I make a plan for everyday, as in I write out what I’m planning to do in almost hourly increments. I journal 2x a day: I ask myself what went well, and what could be improved. Then I try to iterate on it, to get a 1% improvement a few times per week. I do retros. On a weekly, monthly, and annual basis, to see if I’m on track for my goals on my career, with writing, with work projects, with my fitness, with my family.
- Finally, everything goes into the calendar. All events. If it’s not in the calendar, it’s not going to happen. This includes family time and dates with my wife.
What’s your best advice to others who want to Work From Home Forever?
- My last 5 jobs were all remote. In all different industries (entertainment, education, and tech). Last week my friend asked me, “what’s your trick?” Like, they were expecting I a specific website they could go to, a special job board, or a code work you slip into your resume.
- Now, there are hacks to land your first remote work job. But no hacks to make a habit of it. There is a formula though.
- The formula is: 1/ Get really good at something 2/ Make sure other people know you’re good at it I used to think of this as paying your dues, but I’ve refined the idea. I don’t like “paying your dues” because it sounds like time is the factor. Time is not the factor, but skill is. You need to spend time at your craft, and get really good at something. Then, make sure other people know you’re good at it. Become known for that thing. You want other people to want to work with you so badly, they’ll let you do it by your rules, from wherever you want to live.
What are your three must-haves to Work From Home, Forever?
- High level must-haves:
- 1/ You and your partner (your SO, your spouse, etc.) must be on the same team
- 2/ Never enough time
- 3/ An up to date calendar
- Tactical must-haves
- 1/ A killer note-taking system (I use Roam)
- 2/ A powerful CRM (Roam again)
- 3/ Automations (e.g. text expanders, Zapier, IFTTT)
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