Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) is incredibly prevalent now.  As recent as 150 years ago, your birth in a certain station of life limited your career or life choices.   There was little time or opportunity to wonder what life would be like if you chose a different path.

Now, though, those choices can create a lot of anxiety.  You might be asking yourself if you chose the right major, took the perfect first job, accepted the appropriate promotion, moved to the best city, etc.

And then there is the social media aspect too.  You see everyone on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn posting or writing about their successes and achievements.  This can lead to self-comparisons at best and, at worst, disdain for what you actually have accomplished. Meanwhile, you spend time picturing yourself as being happier, wealthier, and more satisfied if only you had chosen differently.

Well, let me burst the FOMO bubble and help you appreciate your reality. Each choice you make comes with its pros and cons, but it’s the way you deal with every scenario that determines your overall happiness.  If you enjoy what you do, then whatever path you chose was good.

Sure, if you are a biomedical scientist, you could also have been a great High School teacher and vice versa.  But that doesn’t mean that choosing one over the other has led to misery and destruction.

How does this relate to the quit or stay question though?  Well, it’s imperative to tease out whether you want to quit because you are constantly comparing yourself to others and finding fault with yourself or if you’re truly unhappy at your work.

Sometimes, you may like your work but just need a little something extra to feel full satisfaction.   That may come by asking for more responsibility, taking on a hobby that has been a passion of yours, or making a lateral move to change where you are working.  On the flip side, if you truly are unhappy with your current position, then there are other ways to determine what path to take.