Let Go Before Being Let Go!

As 2025 ended and 2026 began, I have been in touch with a handful of leaders who left their current positions last year and are looking for new employment and different opportunities.  The common thread that ran through each of their stories is the need to let go before being let go. 💡

When I am hired, I always have a set of goals and objectives that I want to achieve.  When those are completed, it is time to move on.  Let go before being let go has always been my thought process.  When I left my last job after 25 years, I never had any doubt that it was time to go.  What I set out to do was complete.  I have never been a maintainer nor someone that would gravitate or settle for a job that maintains a company or organization.  That sounds excruciatingly boring to be in that position.

In my work with leaders, I share my mindset on this simple concept to ensure that they have established their own standards for goals, objectives, longevity, and sustainability.  Gone are the days when our grandparents picked a job and stayed their entire careers.  Now the average person holds 12 jobs in their lifetime.  This varies significantly by generation, with younger workers like Gen Z potentially having 18 jobs across six careers, while older Baby Boomers averaged closer to 13 jobs from ages 18-56, staying with each employer for about 4.3 years. Job changes often cluster in the early career years, with a decrease in movement as people age.

So, in your work, make a choice this year to be where you want to be, can make a difference in what you do, and don’t stay where you know it impacts your happiness and mental health.  Life is too short to spend one more day in a job that you do not enjoy.  Let go before being let go.