Why "I just need to stick it out until I retire" is a mistake

Jess Spiers
Aug 22, 2025
3 min read

You’ve worked for 20 years. You’re good at what you do. You’ve built a life, paid the mortgage each month, raised a family and shown up day after day.

But from somewhere deep down, a thought keeps creeping in:

“I’m not happy. This isn’t me anymore.”

Then almost immediately, another voice cuts in:

“Just stick it out until retirement. It’s the sensible thing to do.”

I hear this all the time from people I coach. Clever, ambitious professionals who feel stuck - not because they don’t have options, but because they’ve convinced themselves it’s too late to change.

I fell into this trap myself for several years - until I finally broke free.

I know how important it is to talk about this and how this mindset is probably holding you back more than you realise.

You’ve got at least 20 years of work still ahead of you

If you’re in your 40s, you’ve got at least 20 years left of your career.

When you think about it, that’s a whole second career. Two decades of mornings, meetings and Mondays.

Are you really OK with staying somewhere that drains you just because it’s familiar?

Change doesn’t have to mean throwing everything away - it’s about making the next phase of your working life feel aligned, meaningful and energising.

'Sensible' doesn’t always mean 'right'

Yes, stability is important. I hear you - I was genuinely terrified at the thought of leaving my stable corporate salary.

For a long time I felt trapped by the golden cage of my salary, generous pension contributions and other safety-blanket benefits.

But staying somewhere just because it’s safe can slowly erode your confidence, wellbeing and sense of purpose.

The cost of staying in the wrong place isn’t just emotional - it affects your health, relationships, everything.

Being fulfilled and being responsible aren’t mutually exclusive. You can have both, with the right plan.

Change doesn’t have to mean risk

This isn’t about sailing off into the sunset tomorrow to launch a start-up (unless that’s your dream). Sometimes change looks like:

Moving into a slightly different role that suits you better.
Shifting industries using the skills you already have.
Exploring freelance or part-time work to gain flexibility.
Talking to someone about what’s really behind the restlessness.

It’s easy to think career change has to be big, dramatic and risky. But the best changes often start small, with one honest conversation with someone you trust.

You deserve more than ‘just getting through’

Work is a huge part of our lives. If you’re spending the next 20 years telling yourself to “just survive” until it’s over, that’s not living - that’s enduring.

You’re allowed to want more than a steady monthly salary. You’re allowed to want something that feels really good to do, day in, day out.

Where to start

If this resonates, firstly: don’t panic.

But do start to:

Pay attention to the parts of your job that make you feel most drained - and most alive.
Get curious about what you want your days to feel like, not just your title to say.
Talk to someone who can help you get clear without pressure.

You don’t have to start from scratch again. You just need to stop believing that staying stuck is the only sensible option.

There’s more available to you and it’s definitely not too late.