By Barbara Poole
Contributing Writer

My friend Margaret has a black belt in personal reinvention. She has packed more into the past 10 years than many people do in an entire lifetime. Not a woman to shy away from change, Margaret has made numerous major career transitions in her adult life, and she always manages to land on her feet.

We were having lunch the other day and happened on to the topic of why people stay in jobs that they hate. “It’s simple,” she said. “They forget who they were before they ended up in the land of the ‘hopelessly stuck.’”

I began to think about the psychology that takes over for people who are caught up in that place of believing they have no choice or alternatives, and their fate is to remain in a job that crushes their spirit.

There are endless reasons why people hold themselves back from making the move, and some clear patterns begin to emerge when I do a mental review of the stories that I’ve heard.

Consider these factors, which are by no means complete.

Inertia. One of the laws of physics states that a body in motion stays in motion, while a body at rest stays at rest. Many people become stuck simply because they have been in the same place for a long time, and they can’t see themselves being anywhere else.

It’s not that they love what they do or feel fulfilled by it, but they don’t have the spark or the energy to initiate movement in a new direction.

Fear of the Unknown. This factor is one that plagues people who have difficulty adapting to change or who have been rocked by too much change in volatile corporate environments.

Also referred to as “The Principle of the Known Quantity,” the logic here goes something like this: “What I have here isn’t great, but what’s out there might be even worse.”

“I’m Past My Prime.” A major affliction of aging baby boomers, this factor shows up in people who feel that it’s too late to consider a career change due to any number of reasons, including “No one wants to hire a person my age,” “I can’t keep up with new technology like the young kids can,” “No one else will pay me what I’m making here,” “I’m too old to start over,” “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”

Never mind that these people often possess the experience and maturity that prospective employers would die for. They’ve talked themselves right out of their own marketability.

The “It’s-Just-a-Job” Syndrome. A lot of people who are stuck in jobs they don’t like are there because they have the attitude that it’s just work; you’re not supposed to like it.

These folks tell themselves that a job is simply a source of a paycheck, an obligation that must be met until they win the lottery, receive a huge inheritance or can afford to retire, whichever comes first. This might be referred to as the “utilitarian” view of work.

But when you consider that we spend roughly 40% of our adult waking lives engaged in some type of work, it lends a new perspective to the apparent willingness to spend that much time being unhappy.

Waiting for a miracle. However unrealistic it might be, you have to love the optimism of this one. It’s a game called “See who can hold out the longest.”

What miracles are these folks anticipating?

The boss will retire?

The organization will be bought out by a new parent that’s listed in the top five best companies to work for?

A new CEO will move in and decide that it’s time to recognize all the unsung heroes?

Nice thoughts, but it could be an awfully long wait.

So what are the solutions to these patterns that keep people stuck in jobs they can’t stand?

The first step is to simply develop an awareness of what’s really going on in this picture.

Do you see yourself in any of the scenarios above?

If you are not happy with your job, be willing to take an honest look in the mirror and explore what is causing you to feel stuck. Start by getting at the root of the issue, and then consider what your alternatives are.

If you are not happy with your current job, does that mean you should leave and look for greener pastures elsewhere?

Not necessarily.

In fact, the first question to ask is, how can you create positive change where you are?

This may mean arranging to take on new challenges in your current position. It could involve investigating transfer options within your organization to see what might be a better fit for your interests, talents and skills.

Of course, not every experience of being stuck can be resolved where you are. If, after honestly evaluating your circumstances, you determine that you are simply done with your current situation, then it’s time to practice what I call the Law of Two Feet.

That means that you were given two feet to enable you to move from a place that’s not serving you well to a place that will. It’s your responsibility and no one else’s.

Don’t let yourself get stuck in a job that you hate. Remember, this is not a dress rehearsal; it’s your life. Spend it wisely.

Barbara Poole is a leadership and career development coach with Success Builders Inc. E-mail her at CoachBarbara@SuccessBuildersInc.com.

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