Why the Linear Career Assumption Is Wrong

Many people think a successful career moves in a straight line, always upward and forward. But life isn’t that neat. There are actually four different career paths, and which one is best for you depends on your individual psychology.

In this episode of Office Hours, I talk about why the happiest people are those whose work reflects their values and stage of life, not someone else’s idea of success. We’ll look at what happens to happiness when we change jobs, why satisfaction almost always drops after the honeymoon period, and how our mindset shapes what comes next. I’ll also share four rules for making a good job change that can help you find greater alignment, satisfaction, and peace of mind in your work.

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Where to find Arthur Brooks: 

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• Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠officehours@arthurbrooks.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(03:15) An introduction to four types of careers

(14:55) Stats on how often we change jobs and the types of people who resist change

(20:58) What surveys reveal about job changers’ happiness and why it tends to fall 

(23:10) Self- vs. organization-centered careers and why the latter leads to more satisfaction (25:25) Why liking your life makes you more likely to enjoy your job

(27:57) Why being intentional about leisure matters

(29:01) Push and pull: the reasons we seek new jobs 

(32:12) Four rules for a good job change #1: Manage your expectations

(33:57) Rule #2: Look for your happiness first outside your job

(34:57) Rule #3: Jump before you push 

(36:11) Rule #4: Don’t be afraid 

(36:56) Why lifelong marriages are most associated with happiness, but careers aren’t 

(39:19) A review of the four career types and the rules for job-change happiness

(40:58) Q&A: Should I work after raising kids? 

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Referenced:

• How to Build a Life: https://www.theatlantic.com/projects/how-build-life/

• The Happiness Files: Insights on Work and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Files-Insights-Arthur-Brooks/dp/B0F4MFQ6VN

• Career pandemonium: Realigning organizations and individuals: https://journals.aom.org/doi/abs/10.5465/ame.1996.3145319 

• The Four Career Concepts: https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/hr-magazine/four-career-concepts 

• The Number of Americans Wanting to Switch Jobs Hits a 10-Year High: https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/job-satisfaction-low-gallup-data-detachment-17bc183c 

• Fear of the unknown: One fear to rule them all?: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0887618516300469?via%3Dihub 

• The relationship between employee job change and job satisfaction: the honeymoon-hangover effect: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16162061/

• ...References continued at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arthurbrooks.com/office-hours⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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