Is anyone else not ambitious

[Petrolsmasher]

I have a good job that pays well and im only halfway through my career.

However ive just turned down a promotion as i cant be bothered with any more responsibility and cant be bothered doing interview etc.

Have i lost my ambition or are some people just happy to stay in a certain role for years and years. I feel like im getting lazier but at the same time i cant see the extra stress of a better role being worth the additional monry and im quite happy being 'mid range'

[anonymous-user]

My brother took a new job, he's aged 5 years in a year, grey hair, pale face, but more money. It's about what your priorities are, a good balance or unbalanced lifestyle. There is nothing wrong with easy.

[Tango13]

If you can live on what you earn and live well then why be greedy?

[dai1983]

I turned down a trade related course in the armed forces a few years ago as I didn’t fancy the 3 years return of service for an “engineering management” qualification and the extra responsibility with no extra pay it’d given me. This coincided with a change in the pay scales so that if I endured the infantry biased promotion process it’d take 4 years for me to notice a pay rise.

They’ve taken part of this on board and now you move to the next rank up on completion. I’d still have had two years on the job without this and the extra cash. I’m transferring to another branch and hopefully a change of scenery and less soldiery promotion courses will invigorate me! Should have left 3-4 years ago if I’m honest but wasn’t sure what to do.

[jimmythingy]

I'm like this and have left a couple of jobs due to it. First company said I'm earning too much with no responsibility (My fault!!) so gave me a team to look after which I hated so left. Second job was better but my manager was so infuriated with me at performance review time for not wanting to develop, he could never understand it. Again it was forced on me so I left.

I don't know why, I seem to have the skill, aptitude and ability to do most things but I have complete lack of ambition. I have always earned enough for myself and family, never had a problem moving or finding a job but larger companies do tend to think everyone is ambitious.

[GroundEffect]

I was on a 'fast track' at my current company, and was given a step up to a management role as a stand -in and was the youngest of them by some margin.

It was awful - you got st from above (with no saying no) and st from below. I hated it. And running in other circles and seeing what stress the senior managers were under, I've had a major change of heart. I did it for 2 years.

I've taken on a new role as a senior engineer, designing interesting stuff (electric powertrains) with the ability to leave work at work and if I need to do overtime I could and would be paid for it. I'm still young - 31 - so I don't know what it means for my future but for now, I have no interest in going upwards.

[Brainpox]

I think it's good self awareness to know when you're at your sweet spot and happy to stick to where you are.

In many areas it isn't easy to step back down once you've gone up the chain, so either you have to stick it out or jump entirely, either way you end up stressed.

Long term stress is a serious issue than can destroy you physically and mentally, as well as affect others close to you.

If you're earning enough to be comfortable then more money won't make you happier or healthier, but stress will definitely take it away.

[bloomen]

I've come across people who've left behind friends and lovers in pursuit of their career.

When you're on your way out I don't think your progress in vinyl flooring manufacturing will be a particularly meaningful thing to comfort you. But if that's what gets them hard then so be it.

I have no work ethic whatsoever. Zilch. It just seems like brain washing to me. Being productive, constructive and useful is good. When it gets totally abstract I no longer see the point.

[Crumpet]

I’ve got one more ‘level’ up that I want to go and, all being well, that will be achieved next month. And that’s it. No more ambition on top of that for the next 30 years. For me it’s where the money/responsibility/time hits the sweet spot with diminishing returns above it.

[sc0tt]

My next level up is managerial level and I have no ambition in doing so. I'm comfortable with "my lot" and having managed people quite badly in a previous life I have no desire to do so again.

I'm 31 and may take the next step in 10 years or so but no desire to do so now.

[classicaholic]

I once employed the ex MD of one of my customers that were closing their UK operation, he joined us as a fitter on the shop floor and did 10 years on a percentage of his previous salary and loved just making things & not having to take anything home other than his wage.

[Nickp82]

Thesprucegoose said:

My brother took a new job, he's aged 5 years in a year, grey hair, pale face, but more money. It's about what your priorities are, a good balance or unbalanced lifestyle. There is nothing wrong with easy.

Getting a job at four years old would be tough on anyone, infact think I may have met your brother....

[anonymous-user]

Nickp82 said:

Getting a job at four years old would be tough on anyone, infact think I may have met your brother....

that not what I wrote though.

[Scabutz]

Petrolsmasher said:

I have a good job that pays well and im only halfway through my career.

However ive just turned down a promotion as i cant be bothered with any more responsibility and cant be bothered doing interview etc.

Have i lost my ambition or are some people just happy to stay in a certain role for years and years. I feel like im getting lazier but at the same time i cant see the extra stress of a better role being worth the additional monry and im quite happy being 'mid range'

I'm the same. For a while I climbed the ladder but I am at a point now where the money is more than enough and the stress low. My boss wanted to put me on a succession plan for his role. I said no thanks. Few extra quid for a boat load more stress. It's not worth it.

I dont think its lacking ambition. Its finding equilibrium.

[bucksmanuk]

Good topic OP…
One of my last contract roles was as an engineering manager reporting to the technical director.

He started work at 07:10, never left before 18:00, the owners were American so he was answering emails most evenings. He spent Sunday evening preparing nonsense spreadsheets for the corporate Yank-wks, and looked his 62 years… Probably cracking £80-85K

He was talking to one of the machine setters on the shop floor, who he’d known for ages – they were the same age... The guy started work at the same time, yet went at 16:15 - on the button. His evenings were free, he had hobbies, and he could take the dog for a walk, and looked a genuine 10 years younger than the director. Probably earning £35k and another £8K of OT if he wanted it.

The technical director said the only thing he really had better than the other guy was that he drove a nicer car and lived in a bigger house.

I’m early 50’s and contract and have been for 7 years. The thought of climbing a corporate ladder is now a total anathema to me.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

OP, if you took the promotion, and paid all the extra money that you don't really need into a pension, over and above any amount you pay now, you might have more stress now, but you might have been able to quit working completely a good few years earlier than you otherwise would.

[hyphen]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

OP, if you took the promotion, and paid all the extra money that you don't really need into a pension, over and above any amount you pay now, you might have more stress now, but you might have been able to quit working completely a good few years earlier than you otherwise would.

Also people have different motivations. Some work jobs so their kids can live in a nicer neighborhood and go to a nicer school.

[Petrolsmasher]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

OP, if you took the promotion, and paid all the extra money that you don't really need into a pension, over and above any amount you pay now, you might have more stress now, but you might have been able to quit working completely a good few years earlier than you otherwise would.

but i may die before pension age, and rather than adding on 10 to 15 years in stress to retire 5 years earlier.

[Nickp82]

Thesprucegoose said:

that not what I wrote though.

Lame attempt at humour on my part, apologies.

[TameRacingDriver]

I’ve been put forward for promotion at work. If I get it, it will be the first time in my life I’ve been promoted. It will also be the last, as that will be ‘end game’ for me. My current role is not too bad, not a lot of stress, rarely have to work extra hours, and paid decently enough for what I do. The promotion will basically mean little more than getting paid more for the same job. I have no desire to go any further than that. I have enough money now, and I have no appetite for adding any more stress or responsibility to my life.