Why Do We Stay In A Job When We Are Not Happy? Insights To Help You Get The Career You Deserve

For some people, it’s hard to understand why people they know will constantly complain about their jobs, and yet they don’t take any action toward changing the situation for themselves. They go on and on about how they are mistreated, or undervalued, or underpaid, or bored, or ‘burned out,’ or don’t like the people they work with. And yet, day after day, they continue to show up, continue to endure, and continue to collect their steady paycheck.

The truth is, that’s the reason most people stay, the paycheck and/or the perks/benefits. They would rather suffer for something guaranteed than take personal ownership of their future. So even if the company they work for has a poor culture, a broken business model or terrible values, they will stay. They are so afraid of the unknown or either working somewhere else or creating their own company, they will simply stay.

So, why do these people stay when others will leave or even go on to create companies? Let’s take a look at some of the reasons and see if this can’t help you make better career choices. Because knowing is the first step to doing.

Risk is terrifying. For a lot of people, the known beats the unknown. If you have a poor work situation, it’s a risk to go somewhere else…’what if it’s even worse?’ You completely believe it’s a risk to try something new. The problem with this belief is that it’s just your mindset and it will keep you frozen in place. Why live miserably? Work up the nerve, do your homework, and move on. You were not born to work at the company you are at.

Learning new things is hard. Some people stay where they are because learning something new is hard. It’s so sad and yet so true. Most people don’t leave their jobs they might even hate simply because the thought of having to learn a new process, a new skill set, a new anything is terrifying and exhausting to them. What a sad way to live. Embrace the other side of this belief and adopt a growth mindset that says learning new things is the key to a happier life.

You love the handcuffs. One of the greatest double-edged swords of high paying jobs is what’s called ‘living with golden handcuffs.’ Your salary is so good, your benefits are so good, your retirement plan is so good, everything is so good that you’re willing to sit in a cubicle hating your life for eight hours a day simply because, on paper, you’re ‘living the life.’ Well, if you were the last person on earth and had no one to impress, would you still stay at the job you can’t stand? No, you would not. Put a plan together and seek the happiness you deserve.

You love to complain. Another sad truth, but some people love to be miserable. They find enjoyment in showing up to work and uttering the phrase, ‘I hate Mondays.’ They have learned to love their misery, and as much as they talk about leaving, they never will. They will tell other employees, their family members and significant others, that their job or company sucks. But they won’t leave. Why? For them it’s easier to complain than deal with the real problem. You were not ’sentenced’ to be unhappy or to be a senior complainer. Build your skills and expertise and then go somewhere where you will be appreciated. BTW, no one cares about you complaining anyway.

Do not disappoint. Some of the most talented and smart people end up working jobs they despise simply because they don’t want to disappoint their parents. Or their family. Or their friends. Or anyone else. Why? Because they believe that their worth is tied up in the brand name of the company they work for…it’s so cool to work for Google or Apple or Disney. Not if the job sucks. Face up to the facts. If the job or company is not what you thought it was, move on. The people that love you really do want you to be happy; you don’t really need to impress them with where you work.

You are living the life you can’t afford. It’s amazing how much people prioritize having ‘things’ before they have established the career or lifestyle they want. They get a job they don’t love, but pays pretty well, and before they know it, they’ve got an expensive car, high rent, and a lifestyle from which they can’t escape. They want to do something else, but by now they’ve accumulated too much monthly overhead or perhaps even debt. And a shift in lifestyle is unthinkable to them. You want true happiness? Get rid of the ‘clutter’ that burdens your life and hang out with the people you love. No one honestly cares about the BMW M3. And if they do, move on from them.

You are not Dorothy from the movie ‘Wizard of Oz.’ You cannot simply click your heels and wish you were with your family in Kansas. But you can control your happiness and your career. You do not deserve to be in a job that you hate. Trust yourself, believe in yourself, adopt a growth mindset, surround yourself with good people and create a plan to move on.