Those of you that read my Gap Year post got to see me put my existential crisis in writing. Sorry about that.
To recap: my team lead got promoted, and even though I’m the next obvious choice for his spot, I REALLY don’t want it.
The visceral reaction I had made me question my entire career and life path. It happens sometimes. Team Lead called last week and we had a good chat. I look at him as a mentor, and he wanted to reassure me that he’d back me up no matter what my decision was– and that I shouldn’t feel pressure to take the job.
It was a huge weight lifted. I wasn’t actually worried about disappointing him– he’ll be removed from our problems for the most part doing his new high-visibility job– I was more worried about disappointing teammates that said they thought I should get the job.
But in my call with Team Lead, we talked out a lot of it, and I realized (and told him) that I thought at this point I would better serve my team in my current position.
So that’s that.
Gratitude is a practice I think has been turned cliché (like “self care”), but it’s something I may need to look at more often. This job— as big of a headache as it can be– saw me through a pandemic, pays me over $100,000 a year, provides amazing benefits, and allows me to develop super valuable skills.
It’s important to keep that in mind.
That doesn’t mean take my eyes off the prize. I am shoveling as much money as I can towards our FIRE goal!
It’s the end of the work week for me– except that I’ve got some side hustling lined up for this weekend for some extra to go towards the brokerage account!
What’s the current situation with your job? Are you happy?
-K