![]() ![]() In fact, just 6% of the participants in our study reported never or almost never thinking about other paths they could have taken, and 21% reported thinking about these questions often or even almost always. Through these surveys, we found that many workers spend a significant amount of time dwelling on alternative professional paths they could have taken - even years after the decision is made. ![]() We then asked their coworkers how often these employees engaged in helpful, collaborative behaviors, and how often they exhibited behaviors that suggested a withdrawal from work, such as showing up late or distracting others. We asked the workers how satisfied they were with their current jobs, how often they thought about other paths they could have taken, and the extent to which they felt able to determine the trajectories of their lives and shape their work. To explore these questions, my colleagues Jason Colquitt, Erin Long, and I surveyed more than 300 U.S.-based workers and their coworkers across a wide range of professions and seniority levels. How does this sort of dwelling on the road not taken affect us in the workplace? And what can employees, managers, and organizations do to help workers who may be experiencing some internal conflict with respect to their chosen careers? But sometimes, even when we know we made the right decision, we find ourselves longing for a forgone role or career path. Ultimately, the author argues that in our jobs as in every aspect of our lives, the only way to stay productive and feel fulfilled is to balance the tantalizing “what ifs” with awareness and appreciation for what’s right in front of us.Įvery career is made up of choices. ![]() And second, workers can cultivate an internal locus of control, helping them to focus more on the present and future, rather than getting stuck in the past. However, the research also sheds light on two key strategies to ward off this sort of harmful rumination and dissatisfaction: First, employees and managers can proactively explore opportunities to job craft, bringing unfulfilled aspects of workers’ identities into their current roles. It’s only natural to think about alternate career choices we could have made - but can too much dwelling in the past keep us from succeeding in the present? Based on findings from a survey of more than 300 workers and their coworkers, the author suggests that a bit of longing for the road not taken is fairly common, and in some cases, this sense of career regret can keep people from being fully invested and effective in their current jobs. ![]()
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