💡 Invincible Tip - Stop Waiting (Issue #470)

Things don't magically get better

"Most who avoid quitting their jobs entertain the thought that their course will improve with time or increases in income. This seems valid and is a tempting hallucination when a job is boring or uninspiring instead of pure hell. Pure hell forces action, but anything less can be endured with enough clever rationalization."

— Tim Ferriss

I’m seeing the “death by a thousand cuts” happening with several people in their jobs lately. They aren’t living in “pure hell” at work, so they tolerate the unpleasantness and keep hoping things will get better.

For example:

• The endless promise of a promotion next year, and next year, and the next (but it never materializes).

• Being forced to return to the office so they can “collaborate better,” only to sit on Zoom meetings all day, anyway.

• Being asked to “temporarily” take on more work because the employer laid off too many people (hint: it won’t be temporary).

• Eternally blocking a move into management because you don’t demonstrate enough “executive presence.”

• Working under a terrible manager but hoping they’ll quit someday or a re-org will put you under a better one.

I will not recommend you quit your job before you have something better lined up. This economy is too unpredictable to take that risk right now.

However, you should always be looking, networking, and interviewing.

Always!

While you’re waiting for things to improve at work, you can see what’s out there. While you still have a job is the best time to interview and negotiate a new job offer.

They have to make it interesting enough for you to accept the offer and quit your job. If it isn’t, it’s pretty easy to say:

“I enjoyed meeting the team, and I appreciate the offer. Unfortunately, it’s not compelling enough for me to leave my current role. Sorry.”

Now the ball is in their court. They can level up the role, offer you more money, etc. If they don’t, they lose you.

But what if the offer is amazing?

What if you could get a promotion, a nice raise, and a better role? Why wouldn’t you want to know about that?

Why wouldn’t you want to take that instead of waiting and hoping for years that your employer is going to make things right (which they rarely ever do)?

I faced a similar situation many years ago. I received a meager raise and was told the company was struggling. My manager said they couldn’t do better, even though I was also told I was performing well and exceeding expectations.

Well, guess what? I started looking around to see what might be out there.

Another employer was happy to give me a promotion and a huge raise as part of the package. Instead of waiting for another year, I got my promotion and a fat raise the very next week with my new employer.

Don’t wait too long. The best years in your career are limited. If you’re not progressing as quickly as you want, keep your eyes open for a better opportunity.

Hope is not a strategy.

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Hi, I’m Larry Cornett, a Personal Coach who can work with you to optimize your career, life, or business. My mission is to help you take complete control of your work and life so you can become a more “Invincible You.” I live in Northern California near Lake Tahoe with my wife and Great Dane.

Photo by Levi Meir Clancy on Unsplash