Pivot or Persevere?
A practical guide to decide your next move, or stay put.
You and I might have one thing in common.
If your career is like mine, you have doubted many times whether to make a change or stay put and embrace the situation.
It has happened to me many times.
Early on, I had a boss who was “making my life impossible.” My first thought was, “I need another job.”
In other moments, the decision has been between staying where I am or going somewhere that, on paper, looks better: larger role, more money, nicer office.
Like you, deciding whether to pivot or persevere has not been easy.
However, there are two ideas I wrote down over the years that have helped me and might help you too.
Many pivot too late, waiting until a crisis forces the move.
Others pivot too early, mistaking normal bumps for a dead end.
I use this framework to tell the difference and find the confidence to act or stay put.
The 3-signal framework: Bumps, Brick Walls, and Bridges
1) Bumps: discomfort that builds capacity
What it looks like
New responsibilities stretch you, and your skills compound month to month.
You can point to small wins in the last 6 to 12 weeks.
Feedback is specific and improves your work.
What to do
Stay and professionalize. Tighten systems. Ask for higher-leverage reps. Ship visible proof.
2) Brick Walls: structural blockers you cannot outwork
What it looks like
Your role keeps shrinking despite strong delivery.
No path to learn in-demand skills.
Chronic harm or risk transfer shows up: safety issues, ethics concerns, unpaid overtime.
What to do
Plan a pivot with a clear target role, a runway, and proof of fit.
3) Bridges: proof that your skills transfer to create your own business
What it looks like
Your current stack maps cleanly to a growth area.
You can ship a credible sample inside 30 days.
You have two or three warm doors into that lane.
What to do
Run a time-boxed experiment while employed. Decide using evidence, not vibes.
The 15-minute decision scorecard
Rate each item from 0 to 2. Total your score.
Learning velocity: Did I acquire one marketable skill in the last 60 days?
Autonomy: Can I influence assignments or do I only react?
Opportunity surface: Are there three concrete ways to grow where I am?
Values and health: Is staying sustainable for the next 12 months?
Market fit: Does my path map to rising demand?
Interpretation (this is not scientific, but had helped me)
7 to 10: Persevere. It is bumpy, not broken. Create a 90-day plan.
4 to 6: Build a bridge while stabilizing the current role.
0 to 3: Pivot. Design a runway and move with intent.
Common traps to avoid
The adrenaline addiction
Chaos is not growth. If the show is always on fire, you are not leveling up.
The new-tool illusion
Software will not fix structural problems. Tools amplify the systems you already have.
The pivot treadmill
Switching at the first bump. Every road has bumps. Look for trendlines, not feelings.
The sunk-cost bind
Staying because you have invested so much. Future burn does not repay past burn.
Quick worksheet
Five yes or no questions
In the last 60 days, did I learn something that raised my rate or scope?
Can I propose and ship an experiment inside my current role?
Do I see three concrete ways to grow here in the next six months?
Is my health and home life compatible with staying 12 more months?
Does this role map to rising market demand?
Score it with the rubric above and choose a playbook.
I can guarantee the doubt about staying or pivoting is not only on your mind. It is in everyone’s mind in one way or another.
The key is not to make a decision without at least a basic thinking process. Avoid taking a step just because you had a bad day with your boss or saw a shiny object.
As they say in American football, “Never make a decision on a Monday morning.”
You will either be blinded by a recent win or by the latest defeat, and you won’t be able to analyze the situation with long term in mind.
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Thanks for reading and for your continuous support.