The Top Signs You're Stuck in Career Complacency and What to Do About It
If you're a mid-career professional from a high-achieving background - what I call “a high-performer” - you've worked incredibly hard to get to where you are today. You've put in the time, energy, and sacrifices to build a successful career. The level of stability and comfort you’ve received was the envy of your 20-something dreams. Which makes thinking about changing careers at 40, a really tough pill to swallow.
Are you feeling stagnant in your current role?
Do you find yourself going through the motions, day in and day out, without any real sense of meaning or engagement?
Are you hesitant to make a career change because you're pretty comfortable where you are?
Wondering what to do when you feel stuck?
This post explores the difference between feeling comfortable and being complacent in your career. Throughout, I share strategies for avoiding complacency - and the psychological effects of hating your job - as well as tips for staying motivated to achieve your career goals and reach your full potential, even if you’re feeling stagnant, bored, or unmotivated at work.
Whether you're ready for a complete career change or simply looking for new ways to challenge yourself and grow in your current role, this blog post will provide you with the insights, tools, and ideas you need to overcome complacency in the workplace, make more intentional career decisions, and take your career to the next level.
If You’re Feeling Stuck You Might Be Too Comfortable or Even Complacent
Despite all of your accomplishments, you’re not feeling very much like yourself in your current role. Maybe you catch yourself feeling unhappy or unfilled more days than not. You're stuck in a rut wondering, “Is this all there is?” One end of the spectrum is: “I hate my job, I’m leaving ASAP.” The other: “I don’t like it, but it’s just a job and I’m fine with it.” If you’re reading this, my guess is you’re somewhere in the middle.
One of the hardest places to be in your career is when you’re uncertain if you’re comfortable or if you’ve gone completely complacent and are making excuses for performing below your potential. This is especially true of mid-career professionals with a track record of overachieving. You might even fall into a toxic trap of blaming others for your situation and becoming disengaged and resentful. If you catch yourself in this place, you could be destined to stay stagnant unless you take ownership of your career and take action.
Before making a career change or thinking about your next career move, it's important to understand the difference between feeling comfortable in your career and being complacent. While feeling comfortable can be a good thing - even a great thing, being complacent can be a warning sign that you've become stagnant or stuck in your career and it’s time for immediate action.
Erin’s experience with career comfort and complacency
I get it, I’ve been there. I assumed feelings of complacency were at least somewhat normal. I mean it is “work,” right? I felt guilty for wanting to have it all. Isn’t it too much to ask to have financial stability, tasks that play to my strengths, coworkers I enjoy, and to make a difference in the world? After hustling to build my career in a niche area, the last thing I wanted to do is start over or make a huge mistake simply because I was going through a bored spell or had unrealistic expectations about my career.
Signs You Might Be Ready for a Career Change
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone! Nearly every high performer I have conversations with or who works with me as a career coaching client has had a similar experience. The same questions, doubts, and concerns. All wondering what to do when you feel stuck in your job and your career as a whole.
So, how can you tell if you're feeling too comfortable or if you've slid all of the way to being complacent in your career? Here are some signs to look out for that might point to feeling too comfortable or even complacent:
You're not learning anything new: If you're doing the same tasks day in and day out without learning anything new, you may be stuck in a rut.
You're not excited about your work: If you're not energized by what you're doing, it may be a sign that you're not challenging yourself enough or you’re not using your strengths frequently enough to feel that your work is meaningful and fun.
You're not setting new goals: If you're not setting new goals or working towards achieving them, you may be complacent. High performers thrive on challenge and setting their sights on growing as a person and as a professional.
You're not seeking feedback: If you're not seeking feedback from your colleagues or supervisors, you may be afraid of hearing criticism or unwilling to make changes. Or you may have become so apathetic or comfortable you’re not open to a challenge or improving.
If you're noticing any of these signs over a prolonged period of time (3-12 months), it may be time to reassess your career goals and take some initial steps toward making a change in your career.
What Does it Mean to Feel Comfortable in Your Career?
Feeling comfortable in your career can be a good thing. A certain level of comfort means that:
You've settled into a routine and have a good understanding of what's expected of you.
You've established competency or expertise in particular areas and are able to meet the demands of your job without too much stress or effort. Which can feel incredibly liberating!
You may even truly enjoy some aspects of your job: coworkers, work environment, or the stability your current role provides.
Feeling comfortable in your career sounds something like:
"Hey, this is pretty good! I feel like I'm contributing and accepted for who I am. Work fits into my life really well. More days than not, I get to do what I do best and feel that I’m getting closer to who I want to become. I feel the right amount of challenge for where I am in my life and career."
What Is Career Complacency And Why Is It Dangerous?
Feeling too comfortable in your career can be a warning sign that you've become stagnant or have even become complacent. You may find that you're no longer challenged or stimulated by your work and that you're simply going through the motions each day without any sense of purpose or energy. You may be afraid of taking risks or making changes because you're just a bit too comfortable in your current role, even though you have a nagging feeling deep down that you’re not truly satisfied or fulfilled.
Complacency often sounds something like:
"I don't really like what I do. Honestly, I’m bored. I'm not contributing in the way I could be and I'm not recognized for what I do best. I’m not really challenged or learning all that much. Yes, my job is so boring but it pays well. Besides, it's probably too late for me to change anyway."
Career complacency is
The feeling that you've peaked and there's no room for growth or improvement.
You're content with where you are and aren't interested in taking on new challenges or pursuing new opportunities.
For likely many reasons, you’ve stopped challenging yourself to learn, grow, take risks, and try new things.
It often shows up in less than your best attitude, energy, engagement, performance, and interactions with your manager and coworkers.
Complacency is a dangerous sinkhole that many high-performers can fall into after spending too much time in one particular role or when we reach the middle of our careers (10-25 years of professional experience) and realize we’re craving a new path. If this is you, you need to own it and take steps to get out of the sinkhole! But it can be hard to orient out of that feeling. You might find yourself questioning what to do when you feel stuck.
Erin’s experience with career comfort and complacency (cont.)
I almost let feelings of comfort and career complacency take my career and life in a direction that I would have regretted deeply. I started my career change process in 2013. It wasn’t until 2018 that I was fully doing the work that lights me up.
My career change took 5 years. 3 years into the process of building the skills and experiences that would help me reach my ultimate goal, I almost stopped. I almost gave up on building a career doing the work I love to do - helping high-performers use their strengths to find work they’re excited about and make better career decisions.
I was in the hardest part of the career change process: the middle. I was so close I could taste it, but things were still just out of reach. The surge of motivation and confidence I once had began to dissolve into doubts and apathy.
My brain was telling me,
"This is close enough. Nothing is wrong with this job. It could be worse. This isn’t so bad. I can do this for a while longer. I like my coworkers. I like my boss. I like our office culture. This is what everyone wants. And I have it.”
And while the scenario would be enough for many people I know and love, it wasn’t enough for me.
Yes, I could do that work for a while. But no matter what I did or how many times I told myself that my job was “good enough,” I had this nagging voice in my head and in my heart telling me there was more. That I could be more. That I was hiding and playing small. That I was wasting my talents and potential that I could be using to help others. And that voice, that feeling, it just wouldn't stop.
What To Do When You Feel Stuck. Tips from a Career Change Coach to Get Out of Your Career Rut.
1. Take a deep dive into your strengths, skills, and top career priorities
It's essential to assess your skills and interests to identify potential career paths that align with your strengths and what you want most out of your career and life. Fight the urge to immediately jump to the next thing. This is a challenge for high-performers. We’re used to moving quickly and solving problems fast. Take time to think about what you're good at and what makes you excited to work every day. Here are 5 Easy Ways to Discover Your Strengths.
2. Expand your professional circle
Building relationships with people outside of your immediate sphere of influence is critical to making a successful career change. Don't be afraid to reach out to people in a role that interests you. Building relationships with people outside of your current networks expands possibilities and can inspire action with new insights and new ideas. These new relationships will be the people who can help you learn about potential job opportunities, offer advice and support, and serve as advocates. Expanding your professional circle accelerates your career growth and opens doors that without a diverse network, appear closed.
3. Keep learning and growing
High-performers crave learning. There is not one high-performer I’ve met who enjoys feeling stagnant and as if they’re not learning and growing. Take control of your growth! Continuous learning is vital to avoid - or get out of - career complacency. Attend seminars, webinars, and workshops. Take online or in-person courses to learn new skills. Consider joining a professional association or networking group to stay connected to industry updates and meet other professionals in your field. Take on a new project at work. Get involved in a community effort.
4. Take calculated risks
Making a successful career change requires taking calculated risks. This could mean taking on a new project, putting yourself out there by asking people to have career conversations, pursuing a certification, or even switching industries or roles. While we can never know for certain how something will pan out, we can collect better data and make more informed career decisions. Evaluate your options, weigh the risks and rewards, and develop a plan to move forward. With the right guidance and support, you can take the necessary steps to achieve your career goals and avoid becoming complacent in your current role
Remember, making a career change is not easy. It involves a ton of hard work, courage, tenacity, and resilience. But it's possible. Especially now that you know some steps of what to do when you feel stuck. Yes, even if you’re in the middle of your career and aren’t sure how exactly your skills translate to other paths. With the right mindset and guidance, you can find work that lights you up. Don't be afraid to take a leap of faith and invest in your future. While staying stuck may seem in some ways the safer option, I challenge you that it likely isn’t.
Want to learn more about the psychological effects of hating your job and staying in a spot where you’re too comfortable or even complacent? Check out my post where I go deeper on this topic: Is It Time for a Career Move? Understanding the Difference Between Comfort and Complacency.