Have you fallen into the career trap?

99-SECOND READ

Most of us want a career that fulfils and challenges us and provides our desired income, but it’s easy to fall into the trap of over prioritising career over all other areas of life. So, how do you know you’re stuck in the career trap?

The work-life trade-off

We have a finite amount of time and energy. The more of it you devote to your career, the less you have for everything else and the more invested you become in your professional goals and the associated rewards. 

“There are no solutions, only trade-offs.”   

Thomas Sowell, Economist & Social Theorist

The career Trap

Career goals emerge quickly:

- I want to get promoted

- I want to earn more money

- I want to make a difference 

- I want to have a successful career

These goals make sense, they motivate us and lead to obvious rewards. But as we climb the career ladder and achieve our goals, we instantly set new ones because there is always the next level to aim for.

This is the trap.

How we justify overworking

When we find ourselves working long hours, even in a job we don’t enjoy, it’s easy to justify because society supports the idea that hard work is aspirational, earning more money is good, and having a distinguished career represents success. This brilliant article by the BBC explains how we glorify the culture of overworking.

We tell ourselves things such as:

- Hard work is what it takes to be successful

- I value and enjoy working hard

- I have a busy/important job

- I’m investing in my future

How to get out of the career trap

Your beliefs guide your behaviors.

Stop defining success as: achieving high status and wealth. 

Start defining sucess as: a life & career that provides balance, stability and fulfillment.

1. Consider how quickly you need to reach your next career goal
2. Think deeply about what you’re sacrificing in the pursuit of the next pay rise?
3. Focus on working smarter, not harder so that you get to truly live and enjoy your life along the way…

Check out my post: Start working hard on working smart

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