Why Did Robert Greene Never Last at a Job?

Robert Greene never lasted more than 11 months at any single job, because he hated working for other people, and writing books was the only profession where he did not have a boss. He hated the egos, the political games, and the way success meant currying up to the boss with charm instead of caring about results.

He uses the same test with people who have lost touch with what their own bodies, impulses, and desires want. The search goes back to childhood for moments that sparked excitement because the feeling came from them, not because their parents told them. In the twenties he asks what they hate, what repels them, and what feels wrong the moment they do it. Frustration is the key moment: the inner voice is part of the life's task, and it is a positive signal that the person has taken the wrong path. Helping someone hear it can take days or weeks of journaling, writing about yourself, and returning to memories that had nothing to do with what other people were telling you.