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Discussion on: Kill Your Darlings: Avoiding the Trap of Mild Successes

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David Leger

Great question! I think it's important to push through challenging circumstances, and this may like one of them at first.

However, I noticed you don't mention any benefits in this job. What makes struggle periods worthwhile is the transformation that happens in us as a result of experiencing adversity. Is this struggle going to make you a stronger person in the long run? And is it worth it? Even when struggle makes us a better person, it can be at such a great cost to us (time, stress, etc) that it might not have been worth it in hindsight.

I don't know all the details of your situation, but I think it's important in times of struggle (regardless of if it's worthwhile or not) to have a plan to get out of it. Questions to ask yourself to gain perspective:

  • How long do you plan to stay at this job? Six months? A year? There should be a clear time horizon on this.
  • Where will you go when you do leave? This could be just a general idea, like "a place with more flexible hours" could be something you want. Having a goal to work towards can help you develop a clear plan for getting there.

Otherwise, it's easy to just get stuck endlessly in a job that is all struggle and no upside. I hope this helps.