December 2024. Company offsite. I’m holding the “Best Performer of the Year” award. It felt incredible, like all those late nights and weekend sprints finally meant something.
A few months later, I asked for a sabbatical. I needed to recharge. I signed an agreement that said I’d be “on a break from employment.” Seemed like standard HR language at the time.
It wasn’t.
After multiple follow-ups, I received my relieving letter. Last working day: April 30th. Laptop returned. Access revoked. Role filled. “Look elsewhere for a job,” they said (they were still hiring for my role) not from HR, but from the new Head of Engineering, someone I’d spoken to exactly twice before my break.
No conversation. Just… out.
Here’s the thing: I’m writing this because it’s a wake-up call about how corporate relationships actually work. They’re transactional. Based on output, not loyalty. On what you deliver today, not what you delivered last quarter.
And once you accept that? You stop taking things personally. You start making smarter decisions.
💡 What I Learned (The Hard Way):
1. Read Every Single Word in Your Contracts
That “harmless” clause wasn’t harmless. Get a lawyer, mentor, or just someone smarter than you to review anything you sign. I didn’t.
2. Give, But Know When to Stop
I gave everything late nights, weekends, “just one more sprint.” It worked until it didn’t. Setting boundaries isn’t selfish. It’s essential.
3. Everyone Is Replaceable (Yes, Even You)
This isn’t cynical, it’s liberating. You’re not the hero of someone else’s story. You’re a supporting character. And that means you can go write your own story somewhere else.
4. Take Breaks Before You Break
I asked for a sabbatical because I was completely burnt out. My situation was complicated, I wasn’t making the decisions but was held accountable for them.. Don’t wait until you’re running on empty. Rest before you crash.
5. Companies Optimize for Companies. You Optimize for You.
This is the core truth. The company will always do what’s best for the company. You need to do what’s best for you. That’s not betrayal. That’s balance.
🎯 The Bottom Line?
Work hard. Deliver value. But never confuse a trophy with job security. And never give so much of yourself that there’s nothing left when you need to take care of you.
Here’s to new beginnings, smarter boundaries, and actually reading the fine print next time. 🥂