"I love my business…but I hate my job." |
If you've ever said that out loud (or just muttered it under your breath), I need you to hear this: |
Nine times out of ten, you don't hate your business…you hate the JOB you've accidentally built for yourself inside your business. |
I've been there. |
The work I loved slowly got replaced by work I dreaded. |
Meetings I didn't need to attend.
Decisions I shouldn't have been making
Tasks I sucked at, but still felt like I needed to do. |
I was so burned out that I was ready just to blow everything up. Fortunately, a good friend told me I should try rewriting my job description first. |
It worked. |
I didn't just get my life back, I actually fell in love with my business again. |
Here's how I did it… |
Step 1: I made a list of my Genius Zone tasks |
I asked myself a simple (but uncomfortable) question: |
"If I were only allowed to work one hour a day, what would I do?" |
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NOT "What needs to get done?"
NOT "What I'm currently doing?
NOT "What am I afraid to delegate?" |
…what's the truly high-leverage work that only I can do? |
For me, that list included: |
Creating frameworks and IP Recording long-form content Diagnosing bottlenecks in growth engines Making high-leverage strategic decisions
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That's it. |
No performance reviews.
No running weekly team meetings.
No project management. |
…just the work that actually moves the needle (and that I happen to love doing). |
Step 2: I made a list of my No-Go Zone tasks |
I asked myself… |
What do I dread?
What drains my energy?
What do I secretly hate doing?
What am I just not great at…even if it's important? |
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For me, that included: |
Leading routine team meetings Conducting employee performance reviews Approving small tactical decisions Getting pulled into project management details
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These are all things I have done and I can do…but I shouldn't. |
And that's exactly the point. |
Step 3: I shared both lists with my leadership team |
This is the step that makes it work. |
I emailed my leadership team and said: |
"Help me do more of this (my Genius Zone)…and less of this (my No-Go Zone)." |
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When I did this, two things happened… |
First, I got help. |
A lot of what was in my No-Go Zone was already someone else's job. |
For example, we had managers who were supposed to lead meetings and own performance conversations…I just never gave them the room (or permission) to do them. |
When I stopped hoarding those responsibilities, I left room for the team to step up, which is exactly what they did. |
Second, I modeled delegation. |
If the founder won't let go, no one else will either. |
When I publicly committed to doing more Genius work and less No-Go work, it gave everyone else permission to do the same. |
This wasn't a productivity problem…it was a role problem. |
I had outgrown the job I was still trying to perform. |
How many other people on my team were feeling the same frustration…the same burnout? |
Answer: A lot. |
And now that I was modeling the right behavior, we were able to address their frustrations, too. |
Step 4: I rewrote my job description (and made it public) |
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This is when the talking stopped and the systems-building began… |
I formalized my new role as: Founder & Chief Strategy Architect |
Then I wrote a tight Role Summary that clearly defined what I exist to do inside the company: |
My role is to architect the ideas, frameworks, content, and communication that power our brand, our products, and our growth — and to share those ideas publicly as the company's spokesperson and "Embedded Influencer" so the team can scale their impact. |
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Then I defined my Core Responsibilities: |
Create, refine, and document original frameworks, mental models, and IP that shape Scalable's methodology, curriculum, and strategy. Serve as the primary spokesperson and Embedded Influencer, producing recurring content across YouTube, social platforms, and email to attract, educate, and inspire our core audience. Identify, articulate, and champion new growth opportunities, strategic themes, and high-leverage initiatives that drive the company forward. Collaborate with portfolio leaders, strategic partners, and private clients to unlock insights and create breakthroughs that inform product and content direction.
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And then I created the most important section of all: |
What I Will No Longer Do |
Day-to-day operations, management, or performance oversight. Routine meetings without a direct tie to strategic clarity or creative output. Tactical execution work (project management, implementation tasks, workflow design). Production of low-leverage content (short-form repurposing, basic emails, asset formatting). Any task that does not require my Genius Zone (regardless of how "urgent" it feels).
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Then I published it to the entire company. |
Why? |
Because if your job description only lives in your head, you'll fall back into your old habits. But once it's written (and visible), your team can call you out when you start grabbing tasks you shouldn't be touching. |
And if your team is anything like mine…they will call you out. 😂 |
Once I redesigned my role, the burnout faded, the resentment disappeared, and I fell in love with my business again. |
If you're feeling burned out and trapped in your own company, don't assume the business is broken. |
Instead, fire yourself from the job you hate… |
…and rehire yourself for a job you love. |
⚡ Action Step: Block 60 minutes this week. Write your Role Summary in one sentence. Define 3–5 Core Responsibilities that represent your Genius Zone. |
Then create a bold "What I Will No Longer Do" list, publish it to your leadership team, and ask them to hold you to it. |
Here's my job description template and an AI prompt that should simplify the process. (I wish I had this when I rewrote mine.) |
Give it a try, and let me know how it works. |
-Ryan |
Ryan Deiss
Co-Founder and CEO, The Scalable Company |
P.S. I'm looking for 5 business owners who want to work 1-on-1 with my team and me to install a custom "operating system" in 2026, so your business can scale and so you can exit the day-to-day. Click here for the details. |
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