How do you know when it’s time to move on?

Careers and projects are ever-changing things. At first you may love what you do, but down the line, not so much. Of course it’s never so simple. The key is being able to appropriately assess the situation.

There are many factors to consider: the work, the travel, the money, the benefits, the relationships, the value, the flexibility, and so on. Above all else though, if you have the luxury, there is one factor that stands alone at the top: whether or not you are learning.

Feeling like this at the start of every week is probably a good sign that you may not be in the right place.

More importantly though, if you’re no longer learning and growing consistently, then it’s time to consider your options. You can certainly give it some time, perhaps try to instigate changes, but if nothing seems to work, then it’s up to you to take action.

This is easier said than done. Some jobs just suck and you want nothing more than to move on, but sometimes life is pretty cushy. You find yourself in the dreaded comfort zone and it gets harder to shake things up.

You’re making good money, you know the people, and the work is easy. There are no more challenges on the horizon. You are comfortable.

Comfortable is a dangerous place to be. It is the mortal enemy of growth.

A comfort zone is a beautiful place but nothing ever grows there.

The thing is, being in your comfort zone isn’t doing you any good. There’s no progress to be had. There’s no growth to be experienced. Really, you’re just wasting your time because it’s easy.

So when you’re trying to decide whether a change of scenery is right for you, ask yourself these questions:

Have I stopped learning?

Am I just going through the motions?

Do I hate getting up in the morning and going to work?

Am I in a dead-end role that isn’t going anywhere?

Have I become too comfortable?

If the answers to these questions are yes, then you know what you have to do. How you go about this change is another matter entirely. Don’t just change for the sake of change.

You don’t just move from corporate giant X to go to corporate giant Y and do the same thing, but for a little more money and to add manager to your title. This isn’t what I’m talking about.

Change is inevitable growth is optional.

It may feel like progress, as change always does, but don’t fool yourself. You need to find the right opportunity

Find an opportunity that will let you do the parts of your job you enjoy more often.

Find an opportunity that will help you develop the skills you’ve always wanted.

Find an opportunity that will challenge you in new and interesting ways.

Growth is pushing yourself to the next level, experiencing the new, and learning as you go. Don’t settle for the status quo and live out your days in a cycle of mediocrity. Chase wonder and knowledge and progress.

If you’re not challenging yourself, if you’re not getting better every day, then it might be time to move on.

Image via flickr