The pay is pretty good.
The benefits are great.
It's close to home.
I'm too old to make a change.
The economy's bad, so I should just be lucky to have a job.
It's probably the same anywhere else I might go.
I am up to four weeks of vacation.
The seniority I've gained will protect me from layoffs.
I'm not sure what else I should do.
It's been so long since I've looked for work, I'm not sure how to do it.
I understand the place I'm working at, so it's easy for me.
I may be bored, but I'm comfortable.
My family would go crazy if I took a risk and left.
Sometimes the reasons we stay are valid and important. Sometimes they are not. There is no sadder tale then that of the worker who's stayed in a job he's hated for decades because for reasons that were not true. Imagine all those days, weeks, and months of disappointment, frustration, or boredom. Consider all the co-workers and family members who were affected by this person's frustration.
When challenged about their lack of action, the person will almost always claim that he didn't have a choice in the matter. He was stuck. Who believes that? I sure don't.
Usually the truth is that there were options. The problem was not the lack of choice, but rather the consequences associated with those choices. Some of them can be unpleasant.
The next time you feel like you are stuck and have no choices, go ahead and compile a list of the potentially bad consequences from taking action. But while you are at it, make a list of the potentially good consequences that may result from your action. And if you need one more thing to throw into the mix, consider the bad consequences associated with doing nothing. These you should be familiar with, since you are already experiencing them.
There are always choices. The right decision involves giving all options a fair evaluation, and then having the courage to choose that which makes the most sense.
(expert=Tom_LaForce)
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