🔥 Is it beige work? In Community #91

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"You have to be comfortable with being uncomfortable to create work that matters." – Ali Wong, producer, writer, actress, and comedian

What does good work actually feel like?

Last week, when I wrote about how to build momentum without burning out, it was partly because burnout is trending again.

But let’s be real: not everyone feels burned out because they’re doing too much.

Some of us are doing too little that actually matters.

👉🏽 Beige work.

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Beige work is work that plays nice. Work that ticks all the boxes – and none of the emotions. Work that looks good on paper but feels empty in your gut.

You’re not lazy. You’re not losing it. You might just be doing work that’s lost its pulse.

And if you’re in a leadership role – overseeing brands, budgets, or big ideas – beige work is especially dangerous. Because when you feel uninspired, that dullness trickles down into teams, campaigns, and culture.

Beige work: Burnout in a blazer

This new kind of burnout isn’t about exhaustion. It’s about erosion.

The slow fading of excitement. The shrinking of your “why.” The sense that things aren’t quite landing.

And the worst part? On the outside, it might look successful:

📅 Meetings scheduled.

🧠 Strategy sessions held.

✅ KPIs defined.

🔥 Campaigns shipped.

But on the inside? It’s beige.

So – what now?

That discomfort you’re feeling? It’s not failure.

It’s feedback. It’s your ambition refusing to settle for work that’s fine.

Here are three ways to get your edge back:

🧠 1. Treat beige work as data.
If you’re feeling disconnected, that’s not a flaw – it’s intel. Ask yourself:

What part of my work feels most lifeless right now? What kind of creative risk would actually make me nervous (in a good way)? What am I avoiding because I know it would challenge me?

Use boredom as a breadcrumb trail.

🚫 2. Stop outsourcing your spark.
It’s tempting to expect inspiration to come from the next campaign, the next hire, the next offsite. But real leadership? It starts with you.

Start small: Reclaim 10% of your week for creative exploration. Pitch the thing your team would never expect. Build something outside your job title.

Fulfillment is an inside job. Start making things that make you feel alive.

🧭 3. Ask bolder questions.
Instead of “How do we make this work?” ask: “What would make this unforgettable?” “What would we do if we weren’t afraid to lose?” “What needs to be reimagined, not just refined?”

Beige work dies in the presence of brave questions.

TL;DR:

You might not be burnt out. You might just be buried in beige.

If your fire’s gone dim, don’t step back. Step up – into something messier, bolder, and far more you.

Next Week’s Micro-Challenge:

Say no to one thing that feels beige.
A dull meeting. A safe campaign. A lifeless project.

Reclaim that time for something riskier – something worth remembering.

That’s where real leadership starts again.

And if you know someone who can use this bold reminder themselves, make sure to pass this newsletter on to them too 🔁.

In community,

Fahad