The Weekly Fix | 07.07.25

The Cost of Staying Stuck

In my late twenties, I had finally achieved what most people would call a dream job. Global travel, big budgets, big impact. But after a few years, something shifted. I didn’t know the term “glass ceiling” at the time, but I was definitely hitting one.

No matter how hard I worked or how clearly I outperformed, I couldn’t move forward. My ideas were minimized. My value was questioned. And I kept trying to prove myself to people who had already decided who I was.

The moment that broke it open?

I was in a formal dress, squeezed into heels after walking 20,000 steps, sweating through my clothes as I rolled folding tables through a service corridor. Someone on my team decided—last minute—to flip a nearby room for an afterparty. The venue didn’t have the staff, so I did it.

Leaning against a concrete wall, I realized:

This is not it anymore. Not for me.

The destinations weren’t enough. The perks weren’t worth it. I had overstayed—and now, I was resentful. That part was on me.

So I booked a meeting with the VP of Sales Strategy. He didn’t always “get” me—but I trusted his vantage point in the company. I asked, “What else could I do here? Where do you see someone like me?”

Without hesitation, he said:

“You’re a project manager. Your innate ability to plan and prepare for every scenario—that’s what this is.”

He pulled out a Gantt chart and explained the structure. That moment shifted my whole trajectory.

From there, I split my time between events and IT, earned my certification through a company education program, and within a year, transitioned into tech full-time. My direct supervisor made it hell—but I didn’t care. I had a new direction. I had something to build toward.

First, I had to accept that I was trying to get rescued—begging people to see me, promote me, change my reality.

And then I had to stop waiting.

I didn’t get lucky. I got clear. I took action.

So I’ll ask you this:

Where are you begging someone else to change your circumstances?
Where are you placing your future in hands that aren’t yours?

It’s time to take it back.

Because here’s the truth I wish I’d known sooner:

Staying stuck feels deceptively safe.

You know the terrain. You’ve memorized the exits. You’ve learned how to shrink your needs, dull your instincts, and rationalize your way through another day. But here’s the truth:

Familiarity isn’t the same as security.

And the longer you sit still, the more expensive it gets.

• Financially: I didn’t just feel undervalued—I was. It wasn’t until I jumped into tech that I finally entered a new salary range. Stagnation shows up on your paycheck.
• Emotionally: Resentment builds. Confidence cracks. When your environment no longer reflects your potential, your self-belief starts to warp.
• Energetically: You waste precious clarity loops wondering if this is "as good as it gets"—when deep down, you know it’s not.

We normalize our misery because change feels risky. But staying stuck? That’s not safe. That’s slow bleed.

How you feel about yourself is often reflected in your bank account, your boundaries, and your burnout. And it’s not just about money — it’s about alignment, boundaries, and what you’re willing to tolerate.

Okay okay, you get it and you've seen the cost. Now let’s chart a new course.

You don’t need a full reinvention today—you just need one clear move. Something small, sharp, and undeniably yours.

Time for a fix.

⚡ Rapid Fix: Straight Line Mini

Use this micro-version of the Straight Line Method to get unstuck

1. Accept – Say it: "I’m stuck, and it’s costing me."
2. Choose – Decide on a direction. Just one.
3. Identify – What’s one thing keeping you here? Fear? Confusion? Comfort
4. Prepare – What would tomorrow look like if you moved?
5. Execute – Take one small, clear action in that direction. Today.

Grab a piece of paper, open your Notes app, or sketch on the back of a receipt—whatever works. Just don’t overthink it. Start messy. Start now.

✨ Hint: The thing you’ve been avoiding? That’s probably the first step.

🔍 Deep Dive

📚 Book Recommendation: "The Dip" by Seth Godin

A sharp, short read about knowing when to quit—and when to push through. This isn’t about blind hustle. It’s about being strategic in your persistence.

If you’re feeling stuck, this book will help you ask the right question: Is this a dip worth pushing through—or a dead end?

📂 Case Study: Kodak

Lesson: Don’t let fear bury your breakthrough.

Kodak invented the digital camera.
But instead of embracing it, they buried it—afraid it would kill their film business.

In trying to protect their past, they sabotaged their future.

It’s easy to look back now and call it a mistake. But in the moment? It probably felt like smart risk management.

The lesson: playing it safe often feels smart—until it costs you everything.

Careers work the same way. So do relationships, creative projects, even business ideas.
If you’ve been sitting on something that could move you forward—but you’re scared of what it means to start—this is your Kodak moment.

Don’t wait until the world moves on without you. Move first.

📖 Want the full breakdown? Read the full Kodak case study here →

You made it this far for a reason.
Something in this hit. Maybe it was the quiet knowing that you’ve outgrown something. Or the loud exhaustion of spinning your wheels.

Whatever it was—don’t let this be another insight you scroll past.

Pick the thread.
Pull it.
Make the move.

You don’t need anyone’s permission to start.
Just a plan. And a little bit of nerve.

You know more than you think.
Let’s build from there.

You know more than you think. Let’s build from there.
Nic | The Exec Advisor