Uncertainty Is No Reason To Be Miserable

“Life can either be accepted or changed. If it is not accepted, it must be changed.” – Winston Churchill

As the new year lays out before us, it can either be seen as a blank slate – something beautiful to write a new chapter upon – or a foggy unknown – something to cautiously wade into with guard firmly up. With the constant uncertainty in the economy stemming from mixed financial signals, it is extremely easy to only see the fog. To hunker down and wait for sunnier skies.

The danger with this thinking is that there will always be a bit of fog. There will always be an unknown, and by waiting to take action, we may miss an opportunity that is ripe for the picking.

This is the situation in the lateral market right now. Many people are unhappy in their situation but don’t want to explore other opportunities out of fear they may end up the easy choice for a layoff should the new firm need to cut expenses. A rational fear, no doubt, but rational and likely are very different.

I hate for anyone to stick with a dead-end situation, an unhealthy situation, an unhappy situation because of a misperception that a rare event is more common than it is.

If you are in the nervous but curious camp, reach out to a trusted advisor to get their perspective. It could be a mentor, a former professor, even your friendly neighborhood recruiter. We’re always here to offer free thoughts.

Here’s to a wonderful, fulfilling 2023!

Ian