Why You'll Never Regret Telling Your Boss to Shove It (But You'll Always Regret Not Doing It)

You know they always say that when you're on your deathbed you'll regret not spending enough time with family. That's true. But here's what nobody talks about: No one—and I mean NO ONE—dies thinking "I really wish I hadn't stood up for my principles so much. I could've been richer if I just compromised what I knew was right."

Nobody reaches the end thinking "I'm so glad I sold out." The regrets that actually eat at you are "I knew what was right and I was too scared to do it."

I sometimes get emails from people stuck in jobs that violate their conscience—writing surveillance software, working for sketchy companies, facing mandates that go against their beliefs. My response is always: you shouldn't have let yourself get into this position.

These institutions don't just want your work; they want your soul. They're constantly extracting more obedience, making you jump through increasingly absurd hoops to prove your loyalty. That's what all this HR nonsense is—they want you to jump and ask how high.

Golden Handcuffs Are Still Handcuffs

Sure, that hundred-thousand-dollar salary feels nice. But the richer you get in these systems, the more enslaved you become.
You develop hyper-specialized skills that only work in one place, becoming a puzzle piece carved for exactly one spot. You can't fit anywhere else.

Twenty thousand dollars earned independently is infinitely more valuable than two hundred thousand in corporate chains. That independent money isn't tethered to anyone else's demands or moral compromises.

Most people emailing me already know what they should do. They're not asking for advice—they're asking for permission to avoid doing what their conscience demands
because they're scared of the risks.

When bad things happen at work, when pressures mount, view it as good. It's encouraging you to take risks, to pursue what's truly yours by right. If they're already demanding you compromise your bodily integrity or moral principles, it's only getting worse.

Just Do What You Know Is Right

Stop looking for validation. You know what needs to be done. I can't save your soul for you—that would be embarrassing anyway.

Trust me: when you're old, you won't regret telling that boss where to shove their compromises. But you'll definitely regret not doing it when you had the chance.