Golden Handcuffs - a tougher form of the "one more year" syndrome.

[ItDontMeanAThing]

Hello all,
tenure doesn’t mean what it once did – I’m still evaluated formally and frequently, and I would suffer if I slacked off on the grants and publications treadmill, etc.

.....


I’ve finally reached a point where I am substantially free of the need to fight. There are rather few hurdles left in my career that I care to pursue. There are many demands, but to a degree my time is under my control, it’s theoretically possible for me to take entire summers off, I maintain a budget for travel to conferences, etc., so the job is far from tough.

My last 18 months on the job I was faced with my own Golden Handcuffs scenario. My strategy was to remind my self every day that I am able to retire when ever I want to. I ignored politics. I ignored the pathological dysfunction of my company. I walked into situations knowing full well that my outcome would be less than optimal. I didn't retire on the job - I kept working but in the ways and on the things that provided me and the people I support with optimal satisfaction.

I didn't expect this to last. I expected the company to come to their senses and can me. It hasn't happened. Like most people I spent my career trying to do my best and never pondered what happened if I eased up on the reins.

Turns out that when I'm not pushing myself my output was enough to keep my employer happy. And the not pushing made all the difference in my being happy. What had been a cr@p job became OK. I was happy to trade the last 18 months for more money. Still, I'm quitting in 1 month while most of my body parts still work most of the time.