There’s a reason why celebrities, lottery winners, and trust-fund beneficiaries are so universally envied: they don’t have to work or at least they have fun doing it. It’s no secret that many, if not most, Americans have an aversion to their jobs, however dutifully they perform them day in and day out. If you’re one of the millions that dreads the alarm clock every morning, it might be time to reevaluate your professional situation and why you’re so incredibly dissatisfied with your career path. Very often, the difference between loving and loathing our jobs is simple internal examination and reflection.
Many of us come to detest our jobs because we think we’re just spinning our wheels and collecting a paycheck. It’s helpful to take an honest look at prospects for professional advancement and determine if there’s any future at your company beyond your current situation. Everyone, whether they’re a graphic designer, lawyer, sanitation worker, retail employee or sanitation worker, wants to move up in the world, and this usually starts with moving up in their jobs. It may seem scary to consider that we may have go somewhere else, but it beats years of languishing in a thankless and unfulfilling position.
Once we determine that we want to move higher up the corporate ranks, there are a few things we can do beyond exhibiting a stellar job performance. We shouldn’t be afraid to have an honest and frank conversation with our supervisor to determine the best and most expedited path to advancement. If we find, as many of us unfortunately do, that there is no such path, it might be time to start formulating a long-term plan, which may even include an exit strategy from our current organization. Career growth often hurts, but the payoff can make it all worth it in the end.
