Are You a Martyr To Your Job?

Article By: Marilyn J. Tellez, M.A.

I believe anyone reading this article knows or has known about job martyrs. Maybe you are one. My definition of a martyr is one who has a calling to become self sacrificial and is willing to sacrifice themselves to a purpose that is larger than themselves and not one that is making happiness come easily..

Being a job martyr is common. Many people keep a job that is either dreadful, boring or harmful to one’s inner being. (I’ve been there).

Here are my reasons people use for staying with a bad job:

1. Fear of making a change.
2. Economic hardship, either real or imagined.
3. Avoiding risks.
4. Inner conflict about self worth.
5. Lack of other goals.
6. Self punishment as a personal choice in life.
7. Seeing the glass as “half empty”.
8. Not enough emotional support.
9. Fear of not “making it”, whatever that means.
10. Parent’s or others have said to grin & bear it.

I don’t think more definitions are needed for this list.

If you find yourself using one of these reasons or all of them, it’s time to take stock and understand why your are stuck. Venturing out of a false comfort zone may be needed to help you find a job you need and want. It might be the right time to find a career coach or counselor coach if “stuckness” becomes a way of life!

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.