find a new job

you know that feeling when sunday night fills you with a specific flavor of dread? when your alarm goes off and your first thought is "i can't keep doing this"? that's not burnout from working too hard. that's your gut telling you you've outgrown where you are.

the golden handcuffs trap

every job follows the same arc: excitement, competence, mastery, boredom, resentment. most people hit boredom and just... stay. they stay because the paycheck is predictable. they stay because the health insurance is decent. they stay because changing jobs feels risky and the devil you know beats the devil you don't.

but predictability isn't the same as fulfillment. and comfort isn't the same as growth.

the excuses you tell yourself

"the market is tough right now." "i'll start looking after the holidays." "at least i know what i'm dealing with here." every one of these is fear wearing a rational costume. the truth is simpler: change is terrifying, and staying put requires zero courage.

what to actually do

you don't have to quit tomorrow. but you do need to start moving:

1. update your resume today — not next week, today. the act of writing down your accomplishments reminds you of your value
2. have one conversation this week with someone in a field that interests you. informational interviews are free and eye-opening
3. apply to one job that excites you even if you don't meet every requirement. job descriptions are wishlists, not checklists
4. calculate your real cost of staying — not just in money, but in energy, growth, and years of your life spent on autopilot

the greener pastures are real

not always. sometimes the next job sucks too. but you'll never know if you never look. the person who stays in the same role forever out of fear isn't being stable — they're being a coward about their own potential.

if this resonated, share it with someone who needs to hear it.