I don’t want a promotion, I want peace. Not every career goal has to be about leveling up. Sometimes I just want to do my job well, log off, and live my life. Is anyone else feeling stuck between ambition and exhaustion?

This is so real. I’m constantly asking myself, “Do I want this promotion or am I just afraid of falling behind?” I’m learning that success doesn’t always mean climbing, it can also mean staying where you thrive. But yeah, the pressure to always want more is exhausting.

Yes! The toxicity of the “growth mindset” is that doing your job well is not enough. I am with you, I am happy with my pay, save yearly adjustments and don’t want the stress and responsibility of being a leader. Whenever I say this, it’s like I am admitting to having the plague in corporate America.

I have been thinking about this more since I'm pretty sure I found the company I want to retire with. I still have young kids at home and cannot see myself managing people aka a promotion anytime soon. It's admirable at my company though that those before me have said they are not there to climb the ladder- the guy who trained me actually demoted himself because he wanted less stress 😆. I don't think it hurts to check with your supervisor to see what opportunities are available for more pay in a current position or to move laterally if you need a change.

I just turned down a promotion... because I already give my job more of my time, energy, and spirit than I want to.
They get more of me than they deserve already, and the pay that I'd require to give them more would never happen.
I basically say as much, every time I'm asked what my goals are. At this point, my goals are to absolutely crush it in my current role, make enough money to be reasonably comfortable, and maintain the level of respect I have from my coworkers. I don't need or want a promotion to meet my goals, and I don't want to "grow my career" if that means shrinking my personal life with family, friends, and leisure.
We only get one time through this life, don't spend all of it making someone you don't know or care about financially rich.

I’m been there being a leader for 20yrs ,the sad things are a lot of stress and less family bonding, you can’t buy happiness with money.Now I’m working as a ordinary technician with my 3 children going thru college with minimal income and happy life balance.

I am happy in the position I am in. I do not want the responsibility that goes with leveling up. I am in a position that I take care of what needs to be taken care of and help others. I am older and close to retirement and just want to get there without the additional stress of leveling up.

I have been thinking of this as for the last few months I have been on the verge of giving my resignation almost every week more due to the "peace". I am at a point I can retire somewhat early (just turned 60) so it's not too difficult a decision compared to if I were 20 years earlier in my career. But the thought process for me was - expecting them to drag me to the woodshed asking "what can we do?" "what do you need?"...etc........and I think the "peace" is no longer possible at the company.....so no there is no leveling up that will keep me once I make the decision.

THIS is exactly why it's critical that you and your line manager be in sync with your work/life goals. As a manager, this is a critical thing for me to know so I don't pressure someone into a job they don't want. Talk to your direct manager and simply make sure they are aware of your career goals.

the thing is you need minimum cost of living increases to match inflation or you lose ground. Also some profit sharing or stock program is always nice.

Period.

I've no ambition. I'm about to be 70 (thinking retirement in 2 yrs), been working for decades, now at a decent employer for the past 10 yrs. Same as you, I just want to do my job, get usual raises, be left alone to live life after work.

Either way you have to be at work and it sucks so why not just play the game and see how good you can get

I’m with you I don’t care about getting a promotion I just want to do my job clock out and go home.

I feel you. As someone in their mid-40s and is only a “manager,” I often feel like a failure. Yet I will take home almost $300k this year. So I can’t be that much of one right? Just like the belief that you have to couple off and get married to be happy we are fed that we’re all supposed to climb the ladder to become happy. And it’s a lie.

100%. There's a great quote I've been seeing on facebook lately that says something to the effect of "True success is not a title - it's being able to pick your kids up at 3:00 without asking permission." I'm sure this can be a struggle for anyone, but I relate to it most as a working mom. I was blazing up the career ladder before kids, but once I had them, there was no question that I wanted to spend more time with them, so I took a reduced schedule. It's hard sometimes to feel like I'm not 100% dedicated to them (still working) and not 100% dedicated to my career (my kids are more important). But I think it's really important to identify your priorities and what success really means to you. Right now, my success is being able to pick my kids up from school almost every day, getting to coach soccer and volunteer at school, and still keeping my career and bringing home almost half our household income. I know if I pushed harder in my job, I could make more money, but the loss of time with my kids would not make me more successful. (My husband is on the same page as me...he works full-time but is in a role that is primarily 9-5, hybrid, and fairly flexible. Sometimes I joke that he should try to get promoted to VP, but he also doesn't see his 'success' in a title and more stress. We have a really good balance right now and we have 'enough'...making more money isn't 'success' to us.)

This is fine. Go for it BUT please don't be the team buster in the organisation. I see this so often. everyone has views, some want to climb the ladder some don't. Let them do what they want to do and don't hold anyone back from that. Most of all, don't be jealous of what the other person has achieved. Remember, you made your choice and where you are is your responsibility.
My son asked me recently what I thought of him going part time to escape the rat race (aged 31). I told him to go for it as it was his decision but at the same time I asked him 2 questions.
1. Are you living in the house you can/want to live in for ever?
2.Have you saved enough for your retirement?

If the answer to both questions is yes. Chill and enjoy life. If not, don't go part time. By the time you realise you cant get that house or you can't afford to retire, it's too late you can't get that time back and it is no ones issue but yours.
So in summary, Do what you want to do but hold only yourself accountable for the decisions you make and do not sit around expecting the world to give you what you want.

I’ve always pictured a career as swimming upstream in a current: if you don’t move up, you’re actually falling behind (and can be more easily replaced by someone younger with less pay) - just a watch out. For ex if you’re 20yrs of experience doing a job that requires 5yrs.. you may end up overpaid & an expensive headcount (management perspective)

And obviously dependent on industry, but this is how I feel in corporate.

I remember seeing this meme that said something to the effect of the older I get the less ambitious I get, and that resonated with me years ago and still does today! YET I want to be recognized for how kick-ass I am, with a raise and a promotion🫠. I think my long- term solution is to switch careers when I’m no longer having fun doing what I’m doing and have reached a few financial goals. I don’t mind starting over a few rungs down to exercise a new skill set, have more balance, and not have to manage other people (cause that’s the worst! And yet all you seem to be good for after so many years!)

Hear hear — I call it peaceful life!!!

If you’re performing at the level above where you’re currently at they’re going to give you the work of that level. If you’re efficient or a high performer, you get rewarded with more work.

This

💯