Welcome back friends. I’m not done on the topic of feedback quite yet but I wanted to take a quick detour to talk about leaving jobs after a long, inspirational conversation last night with a coaching client.

In one of my advising roles, I found myself in a rare moment of stillness one afternoon. My inbox was empty, strategies were in place, all key performance indicators met, and my second year goals were completed. The sun shone outside, and other advisors sharing the room were hard at work, only halfway through their day. I looked around for the inspiration that usually strikes seeing an unmet need but realized I had no new challenging goals that arose.

The thought of endlessly repeating the same routines with little novelty sank in. I looked at others in the organization, excited by their challenges and growth opportunities, while I had been denied higher-level positions twice. I realized, out of nowhere, that even though nothing was “wrong,” I wanted something else.

Moving on is hard. There are fears about financial stability, the poor job market, and the belief that if you just put in some more effort, things will change to your liking. But there come times where we know it’s right to move on. If these situations describe yours, it may be time to listen to the instinct to look elsewhere:

Toxic Environment: One of the hardest but clearest signs. If you feel tense around coworkers, leave meetings with headaches, and see structures failing to hold superiors accountable, it's time to go. You might have raised your voice, offered solutions, and experimented with changes, but you can't change an entire environment alone. Burnout is a real risk for those trying to be Atlas. Get out.

Lack of Growth Opportunities: Like my experience as an advisor, you might find yourself unable to grow. Despite your efforts, the organization doesn’t have space for your advancement. You've given all you can, but barriers outside your control prevent you from growing your career or increasing compensation.

Comfort without Challenge: This is a kinder experience but a tough decision. Your team is healthy, you've done work you're proud of, and you feel you've mastered everything in this context. Your organization might want you to stay and grow, but there are no opportunities that interest you. You’re bored, need adventure, and still want to learn. When you're too comfortable but still curious, it's a sign you need to move on to keep growing.

Yesterday, I got to witness as my client came to the realization that the stagnation of his growth was enough for him to consider leaving. There’s many other factors for him to consider before making such a big decision, but we celebrated his powerful commitment to growth. Have you ever had the lucky experience of leaving a job because you were too good at it?