The job trap
Posted on December 05, 2016 by Hans Schumann, One of Thousands of Executive Coaches on Noomii.
If you feel trapped in a job you do not enjoy, think about what it may cost you not to do anything about it.
Have you ever known of people who complain about their job but do nothing about it? Have you ever found yourself in this situation?
It’s a classic. Many people are resistant to changing their job because they love the perceived security they gain from it. They may deeply resent their work, constantly complain, count the hours until the end of the day and then numb their pain with alcohol, food and TV in the evening, but they shy away from doing something about it.
Changing your job requires stepping up and taking ownership – and this can be scary! It may also involve letting go of an identity you may have assumed in your job; for example, being the victim at work, being the expert in your profession or enjoying the status your job provides. You may not know who you would be without your current job.
I know all this because I used to be one of those people! It took a serious health crisis to wake me up and make me leave the golden cage of corporate life. It felt uncomfortable for a while because I had lost my identity and status. I was no longer the city lawyer in financial services with a six-figure salary, but not yet an experienced life coach.
The price you are paying for your security and status is high, though. If you resent your job, it’s time to wake up. Life is too short to waste doing something you don’t enjoy.
I agree that there is value in the security your job provides. Security is, after all, a fundamental need for us human beings; but we also have other core needs that are equally important, such as variety, love, connection and growth.
Consider what could be possible if you changed your job:
working with people you like?
performing tasks that are meaningful to you?
having a boss who inspires you?
experiencing your job as a valuable part of your life’s mission rather than just a means to make money?
being inspired and excited by your job, rather than burnt out?
I understand that there can be circumstances where leaving your job is not possible, or at least not immediately. If that’s your situation, then it’s time to appreciate the job for what it gives you at this stage in your life, whether that’s security, finance or learning opportunities. Acknowledge that, at this moment in your life, you value those things more than the fulfilment of a job you truly enjoy.
Looking at your circumstances in this way will show you that you are actually exercising a choice. Instead of seeing yourself as a victim of circumstances, you consciously decide to stay in your job for the time being.
If you indeed decide to stay in a job you don’t enjoy, how about looking at it as playing a game? You may not care for the game, but as long as you are playing it you might just as well play it skilfully. It’s so much more fun!
