Why Do I Stay At My Job?
The question of why I go to work each day continues to loom front and center. Especially why I continue to go to my particular job.
I know the answer, though, which, sadly, may put me miles ahead of most people. I’ll bet most people would say they keep going back to their job because of the paycheck. But really, that’s a sorry excuse to keep going back to a job you hate, or even dislike a little. Or even if your bored completely to death. All of the above (and many more, I’m sure).
We forget, myself included, that we have choices. We really do. They may not always be obvious, in fact they’re usually not obvious at all. Wouldn’t it be great if they were!
No, we get stuck in our day to day mindset of what we think is possible because it’s all we see every day. Change is scary. And it’s scary even though most of us are dealing with it in one form or another more than people ever have in human history.
Maybe that’s what makes it even scarier. We want to hang onto what feels comfortable and routine. And then there are all those voices in our heads, put there by well intentioned people like our parents. ‘Don’t rock the boat.’ ‘You’ve got this great government job, why would you give that up?’ ‘You have dreams, what’s the matter with you? Are you crazy?’
So, why am I staying at a job I’ve long since outgrown? Because in less than a year I can “retire” with full health insurance benefits (and a little money on the side, although not enough to live off of). If it was much longer than that, I wouldn’t stay.
Probably most readers of this blog are younger than me, so many of you have 20 years or more to get a little slice of some lousy pension. What a stupid thing to wait a lifetime for if you’re miserable.
I don’t suggest quitting your job immediately, but I do suggest that you change your frame of mind and begin focusing on the things you really enjoy doing. And when you’re ready, which will most likely be sooner than you could have ever imagined, leave that crappy job and go somewhere else. Somewhere where people respect you and you respect yourself.
I know it’s possible.
