For years I’ve used the distinction between Inside Cats and Outside Cats to help people with their career planning. While it’s true that everyone has elements of both, being honest with where you see yourself can be a powerful conversation starter. And, as you’ll see below, there are some creative ways to get the benefit of both!
Imagine two types of cats:
Inside Cats
Inside Cats: These cats thrive in the stability and comfort of a warm home. Their meals arrive on schedule, their environment is predictable, and when something breaks, someone else fixes it. Inside Cats are secure, well-cared for, and value routine and reliability.
Outside Cats
Outside Cats: These cats wouldn’t trade their independence for the world. While their days might involve hunting for food, dodging cars, and weathering storms, they relish the freedom to roam, explore, and control their fate. They thrive on autonomy, risk, and the thrill of self-sufficiency.
In the world of work, people often fall into one of these two categories: Inside Cats, who feel most comfortable working within established organizations, and Outside Cats, who prefer the freedom and challenges of striking out on their own.
The Inside Cat: Thriving on Stability
Inside Cats are people who value the structure and security of working for an established organization. They appreciate the predictability of a steady paycheck, comprehensive benefits, and defined responsibilities. For Inside Cats, the thought of handling sales, managing IT issues, or worrying about taxes and retirement planning is decidedly unappealing—they would rather focus on excelling within their defined role.
Why Inside Cats Thrive
- Stability: Paychecks arrive on time, benefits are taken care of, and risks are mitigated by the organization. As one of my friends said when she took her first job out of college “I’m working for Gillette because they’ve been around for a hundred years and will have a whole program to help me grow into the successful employee I want to be.”
- Support Systems: There’s a team to call when the computer doesn’t work, a manager to provide guidance, and a clear structure to follow. And, as they become more senior, there are people to boss around.
- Specialization: Inside Cats can focus on their core skills without being responsible for every facet of running a business.
What Challenges Inside Cats
- Conformity: The structure and rules of a corporate environment might feel constraining to some.
- Limited Autonomy: Decisions often require layers of approval, and creativity can sometimes take a backseat to processes.
- Capped Growth: Career progression is usually tied to organizational hierarchies, and pay may have defined limits.
- Politics: It’s often as much about how you navigate politics and relationships as it is about the quality of your work.
The Outside Cat: Thriving on Independence
Outside Cats are those who feel constrained by the structure, systems and processes maintained by most well-established organizations. The thought of sitting in meetings discussing “synergies” or waiting for IT to fix their email drives them nuts. They’d rather face the challenges of running their own show, where they can dictate their schedule, set their goals, and reap the rewards of their efforts—knowing, of course, that failure is entirely on their shoulders.
Why Outside Cats Thrive
- Autonomy: They set their own goals and decide how to achieve them.
- Unlimited Potential: There’s no cap on income or growth—success depends on their effort, creativity, and networking… not whether their boss feels like giving them a year-end bonus.
- Adventure: The unpredictability of running a business, building connections, and creating opportunities keeps them energized.
What Challenges Outside Cats
- Risk: Outside Cats must “eat what they kill,” meaning there’s no safety net if business dries up. This puts an enormous pressure on everything they do and stress management becomes a key part of their daily routine.
- Self-Reliance: When something goes wrong, there’s no IT department, HR team, or employer-sponsored retirement fund to lean on.
- Isolation: It can be lonely at times, especially when starting out.
Careers: Understanding Your Nature
Determining whether you’re more of an Inside Cat or an Outside Cat is crucial for finding career fulfillment. Neither is better or worse—it’s simply about where you thrive.
You might be an Inside Cat if:
- You enjoy routine, structure, and defined roles.
- You prioritize stability and benefits over uncertainty.
- You prefer to focus on your craft or specialty without worrying about the broader challenges of running a business.
You might be an Outside Cat if:
- You feel constrained by corporate rules and hierarchies.
- You crave independence and are willing to take risks for greater control over your life.
- You thrive on the unpredictability and rewards of entrepreneurship or freelance work.
Lessons from the Cats about Careers
1. The Grass Isn’t Always Greener
While Inside Cats may envy the freedom of Outside Cats, and vice versa, both lifestyles have trade-offs. Knowing yourself is key to avoiding dissatisfaction. To this day people still ask me if I wish I’d stayed in the law firm environment – staying was never really an option for this Outside Cat! And, when I tried to convince my former colleagues to join me on the outside, it took me years to appreciate that they made the right choice for them to stay inside.
2. Adaptability Matters
Even Inside Cats may need to adopt Outside Cat skills—like networking or self-promotion—to grow in their careers. Similarly, Outside Cats can benefit from Inside Cat habits, like creating structure and setting routines.
3. Both Can Be Successful
It’s not about which is better but about finding an environment where you can thrive.
Conclusion: Embrace Your Cat Nature
The Inside Cat and Outside Cat analogy isn’t just a quirky way to think about careers—it’s a tool for understanding your strengths, values, and what makes you tick. Whether you prefer the stability of a corporate environment or the independence of being your own boss, success lies in knowing who you are and building a life that aligns with your nature.
So, which one are you—an Inside Cat or an Outside Cat? Do you think there’s a link between your personality type and which cat you are?
Share your thoughts below and let’s explore what makes each of these career paths unique.
You might also like this related piece: What Inside Cats and Outside Cats Can Teach Each Other About Thriving at Work.
