Why Did I Stay? Resilience, Sunk Cost Fallacy or Misplaced Hope?

This post was inspired by a conversation I had with Tom Goodwin that started on Twitter and which he expanded on LinkedIn.

He gave me permission to base this podcast episode on these posts.

I often think a lot about how lucky I am to have started my career with 25 ish years of in-office/store work, passive training, oversight, exposure via proximity, and camaraderie .

This is by no means an anti-remote work thing, it's just an honest reflection on the head start being in a packed workplace from the age of 17 onwards. Something not everyone now gets.

And yes I was lucky to feel like I (nearly) always worked at places that were high energy, that were dominated by quite supportive people, that I had great bosses, that had pretty motivated people, varied work, and the long hours were rewarding. But it wasn't 100% luck, it was a concerted effort to pick places on the basis of how I'd develop, not what I'd get paid.

And I'm not suggesting companies should resort to 100% in person work, but I do think they should focus on creating environments where people feel a part of something, and supported.

On Twitter, I told him that I was not fortunate to have that type of supportive work environment - I had monitoring, close surveillance, mandatory training and micromanagement. 

Tom asked me something which stopped me short.

"Why didn't you leave?"

The short answer I gave was kids, a mortgage and stability. But it's deeper than that.  The choices and decisions I made about the companies I worked for and the jobs I accepted are rooted in my childhood perception of stability and responsibility, where I lived, the kind of daughter, parent and wife I wanted to be, the economic climate, golden handcuffs including access to work from home which was not common at the time and systematic limitations.

Condensing 30 years of decisions and history into less than15 minutes is a challenging task.  Hopefully you find it interesting to view my career from a high level perspective.

I used Microsoft Co-pilot to summarize valuable lessons others could learn from my story and I kind of like the output.  It feels a bit like a personal cheerleader who can see the positives peeking throught the details.

Here are some valuable lessons that others can learn from your story:

1. Resilience and Adaptability:

   • Life is full of unexpected challenges, from economic downturns to personal losses. Your ability to adapt and bounce back is crucial.
   • Lesson: Cultivate resilience and embrace change as an opportunity for growth.

2. Navigating Career Transitions:

   • Job markets fluctuate, and qualifications alone may not guarantee success. Your experience transitioning between industries highlights this.
   • Lesson: Be open to learning new skills and consider transferable abilities when changing careers.

3. Advocacy and Impact:

   • Your advocacy for hybrid remote work made a difference. You were a pioneer in promoting flexible work arrangements.
   • Lesson: Advocate for positive changes in your workplace or industry, even if it challenges the status quo.

4. Mindset Matters:

   • Mindsets shape our experiences. Facing layoffs and industry shifts, maintaining a positive outlook is essential.
   • Lesson: Cultivate a growth mindset, stay adaptable, and view setbacks as opportunities for learning.

5. Balancing Personal and Professional Life:

   • Juggling personal challenges alongside work can be tough. Your story underscores the importance of balance.
   • Lesson: Prioritize self-care, seek support, and recognize that life events impact professional performance.

6. Unique Paths to Success:

   • No two journeys are alike. Your unconventional path—through recessions, accidents, and losses—led you to where you are today.
   • Lesson: Embrace your unique journey, celebrate achievements, and learn from setbacks.