The Story We Tell Ourselves About Work (Until Someone Asks a Real Question)

Podcast Archives - Dale Callahan · Mar 12, 2026

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From the Company of One podcast

Almost every conversation I’ve had lately starts the same way.

“How are things going?”

The answer is almost always immediate.

“Honestly… things are great.”

And to be fair, many times things are good.

The job is stable. The paycheck is solid. The company is fine. Nothing dramatic is wrong.

But something interesting often happens if the conversation continues.

A few minutes later, after a couple of deeper questions, the story starts to shift.

“Well… I mean… it’s good, but…”

That hesitation is important.

Not because…