The next promotion, the next chance to earn more, gain influence, or power. Ambition is just another measure of worth at work. If you’re not ambitious, someone else will snatch your job away.

We’ve been fed this bullshit for years. Being comfortable is seen as laziness. We stigmatize those who reject the corporate ladder, ignoring that they might be the ones who truly understand what it means to have enough—something you’re never taught growing up.

I respect people who push themselves to learn and grow because they want to—not because a promotion demands it. Unlike ambition, this kind of growth is about becoming a better person. Those are the ones I want to work with. They lift everyone around them. It’s contagious.

If climbing the corporate ladder is your thing, that’s fine. Just don’t confuse it with growth. Ambition and growth aren’t the same.

Some people want to do their job and be done for the day. That’s perfectly fine. It’s OK to ignore the performance review, the bigger paycheck, the promotion. It’s OK to be comfortable at work and choose yourself over others’ career expectations.

Figure out what it takes to become a better person, not just a better employee. That’s the only growth that matters in the long run.


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Originally posted at: https://danielbernal.co/blog/2024/10/15/comfortable-is-ok/