Don't Quit, Pivot: How to Create Your Own Bliss in the Workplace
By now, we've all heard countless stories about people quitting their jobs to find happiness elsewhere. But here's what most of those stories don't tell you: many of these same people end up facing similar frustrations in their next role.
The problem isn't always the job itself—it's often how we approach our work and what we expect from it. Before you start updating your resume or scheduling interviews, consider this: you might have more power to create the job you want right where you are than you realize.
People can become highly dissatisfied with their role when it lacks meaning or purpose for them, or leaves them feeling completely depleted at the end of the day. But does quitting your job and starting over really make you happier? It might not help as much as you think, especially if you don't plan your departure properly.
Before you decide to quit your job, there are some key things to consider.
Taking a Beat
Before making any major career moves, take a beat. What is truly making you unhappy in your current role and company? I’m not telling you to stay feeling stuck or accepting mediocrity. It's about making informed decisions that lead to lasting change, rather than just temporary relief. Fortunately, you can usually alter your current job to fit your needs more than you think.
Start by getting really clear about what's working in your current situation and what isn't. Usually, workplace unhappiness stems from specific sources: the job responsibilities themselves, leadership challenges, logistical issues like commute, or toxic culture. You need to identify the exact "why" behind your dissatisfaction so you don't recreate the same patterns somewhere else.
Ask yourself these questions:
What parts of my current role energize me?
What consistently drains my energy?
Which challenges are external circumstances versus my internal responses?
What beliefs about success am I operating from that I've never questioned?
What would need to change for me to feel fulfilled here?
Many times, the answer isn't a complete job change. It's about pivoting your current role, responsibilities, or approach to better align with who you are today.
You Can't Run Away from Yourself
When you leave a job, you pack up all your habits, patterns, and unresolved challenges and take them with you to the next opportunity.
I've worked with many professionals who jump from organization to organization, convinced that the next opportunity will be different, only to find themselves facing similar frustrations. Why? Because they never did the internal work required for sustainable change.
Fear of failure often masquerades as job dissatisfaction. Sometimes we want to quit not because we dislike the work itself, but because we're afraid of not being good enough or capable enough. Those fears don't disappear with a new employee handbook.
Most of us operate based on beliefs we've inherited without questioning. These unconscious assumptions shape our career decisions in ways we don't even recognize:
"Success means being constantly available"
"If you want something done right, do it yourself"
"Taking time for yourself signals a lack of commitment"
"Getting close to your team compromises your authority"
These inherited beliefs often cause unnecessary stress and dissatisfaction. Before you change jobs, ask yourself whether these assumptions are driving your unhappiness.
Creating Change Where You Are
You can often create the job you want within the company you already know. Instead of assuming you need to start over somewhere else, consider how you might reshape your current role to better fit who you are today. Here's how to start pivoting before you quit:
Examine Your Current Role
Look for aspects of your current position that you can modify, expand, or eliminate. Can you delegate tasks that drain you? Can you take on projects that energize you? Can you restructure your schedule or work arrangements?
Address the Root Causes
Instead of assuming the job itself is the problem, dig deeper. Are you unhappy because of unclear expectations? Poor communication? Lack of growth opportunities? Many of these issues can be addressed through honest conversations with your manager or by taking initiative to create change.
Find Your Connection Points
Identify the moments in your current role when you feel most engaged and valuable. Maybe it's solving complex problems, mentoring team members, or helping clients achieve their goals. Look for ways to increase these activities within your current position.
Create Your Own Development
Don't wait for your company to provide growth opportunities. Take the initiative. Volunteer for cross-functional projects, propose new initiatives, or ask to shadow colleagues in different departments. You can often create the variety and challenge you're seeking without changing companies.
Build Better Boundaries
Sometimes dissatisfaction comes from poor Work-Life Harmony® rather than the job itself. Practice setting healthier boundaries around your time and energy. Learn to say no to non-essential requests and yes to activities that align with your goals.
When a Strategic Move Makes Sense
After doing this deeper work, you may decide that a job change is truly the right choice. That's perfectly valid—but now you'll make that decision from clarity rather than reactivity.
When you do look for new opportunities, you'll know exactly what you're seeking because you've identified what fulfills you and what drains you. You'll be able to ask better questions during interviews and make choices that align with your authentic needs rather than running away from something you haven't fully understood.
Look for organizations that align with your values and purpose—places where you can do work that feels genuinely worthwhile. But remember: you're not just looking for a job, you're looking for an opportunity to express your authentic self while creating value for others.
The Pivot Advantage
The professionals who learn to create change within their current environment develop the ability to find meaning and create a positive impact wherever they are. This doesn't mean accepting poor treatment or compromising your core values. It means developing the capability to transform challenges into opportunities and to create authentic connections even in difficult situations.
When you learn to create your own bliss, you become less dependent on external circumstances for your happiness. You become someone who brings positive energy to whatever situation you encounter. And if you ultimately do decide to change jobs, you'll do so with a clear understanding of what you need to thrive, making it much more likely that your next role will be fulfilling.
Before You Make Your Move
Before updating your resume or having that difficult conversation with your manager, take a beat to get clear about what you really want and why you want it.
Sometimes the most powerful move isn't to leave the stage, but to change how you're playing your part. You might discover that the job you want is actually a modified version of the job you already have.
Whether you ultimately stay in your current role or move to something new, you'll make that decision from a place of strength, clarity, and authentic understanding of what drives your satisfaction. And that foundation makes all the difference in creating the career and life you want.
Ready for a change? Listen to my podcast episode B3 Breaks: Crafting Your Personal Purpose Statement to learn how to create a personal purpose statement that will align with your decisions as you move forward to the value you want to make in the world.