“The best give it all for the company, the mission, and the team. Sometimes, too much.” This is direct quote from a well known investor talking about the “best employees”. What “all” should founders and investors expect an employee to give.

If you’re an employee, consider this scenario: One random day at work, a gentle tap on your shoulder or an email invites you to a Zoom call or a meeting in the conference room in 30 mins.

An hour later, you’re outside your office building, holding your personal belongings. Your access card no longer works. Your company-issued laptop is gone. And you’re trying to figure out the COBRA benefits you just learned about.

Suddenly, the company, mission, and the team are in the rearview mirror. Your health, family, and friends—the very things you sacrificed for your job—are all that remain.

The company and its mission can be fulfilling, but remember, they are temporary. They can vanish, through no fault of your own.

So, is there no place for prioritizing the company, mission, and team? There is. But it should not be about forsaking your personal life. It should be about aligning your professional ambitions with the company’s interests. Your paycheck and stock options are compensations for putting the company’s needs ahead of your professional gains—promotions, bonuses, or growing your own department.

Oddly, many are willing to sacrifice their personal life for work, yet few are willing to forgo their professional ambitions for the sake of the company.

You’ll hear tales of missed kid’s games or anniversaries for work. Rarely will you hear of someone halting their project because it wasn’t in the company’s best interest.

So, if you’re an employee, align your professional ambitions with your team, mission, and company interests (in that order). And if you’re evaluating an employee, ask about instances where they’ve prioritized the company over their own professional goals. Those are the folks that will nurture your company just as you would. They can do this without sacrificing their health and family in the process. You don’t want that on your conscience.