When a Job Stops Feeling Like Progress

Editor’s Note

This article is presented as an edited interview shaped from publicly shared ideas, long form discussions, and talks by Ashkan Rajaee, a creator known for exploring the psychology of work, career transitions, and long term thinking around employment and independence.

Rather than transcribing a single conversation word for word, this piece distills recurring themes from Rajaee’s discussions into a structured dialogue. The goal is to give readers clarity around the mental shifts many professionals experience when their job no longer aligns with their future goals.

Interviewer

Many people quietly ask themselves the same question but rarely say it out loud. How do you know when a job is no longer enough?

Ashkan Rajaee

It usually starts as discomfort rather than logic. You are doing what you are supposed to do, but something feels off. You are paying your bills, yet you do not feel like you are building anything meaningful long term. That feeling tends to come before any clear plan, and people often ignore it because it feels irresponsible to question stability.

Interviewer

You often talk about the psychological meaning of a job. How should people really think about employment?

Ashkan Rajaee

A job is a structured exchange. You trade time and control for income and predictability. That trade works for a while, especially early in your career. Problems start when people confuse stability with progress. If your income barely grows, your responsibilities increase, and your time becomes more constrained, the psychological cost starts to outweigh the benefits.

Interviewer

Why do so many people stay even when they know something is not working?

Ashkan Rajaee

Fear and conditioning. We are taught that leaving is risky and staying is responsible. Add financial commitments like rent or a mortgage, and the fear compounds. At that point, people are not choosing their job, the job is choosing them. That is when resentment quietly builds.

Interviewer

Is this where the feeling of being stuck comes from?

Ashkan Rajaee

Yes. Feeling stuck is rarely about ability. It is about optionality. When your lifestyle requires every dollar you earn, you lose flexibility. Psychologically, that creates anxiety because your margin for error disappears. People then avoid thinking about change because thinking without options feels painful.

Interviewer

Some people hear this and assume they should quit immediately. Is that what you suggest?

Ashkan Rajaee

No. Impulsive decisions usually come from frustration, not clarity. The goal is not to escape work. The goal is to regain agency. That starts with understanding your finances, your time, and your long term goals. Quitting without preparation often replaces one form of stress with another.

Interviewer

You emphasize long term thinking a lot. Why is patience so important here?

Ashkan Rajaee

Because real transitions take time. Social media makes it look like people wake up one day and reinvent themselves. In reality, meaningful change happens over years. You build skills quietly. You test ideas on the side. You adjust your lifestyle gradually. Patience is not passive. It is strategic endurance.

Interviewer

What role does planning play in this process?

Ashkan Rajaee

Planning turns anxiety into data. When you map out your finances, even roughly, you replace vague fear with numbers. You start to see what is possible and what is not. That alone reduces stress. People underestimate how calming clarity can be.

Interviewer

How important is support from others when someone is considering change?

Ashkan Rajaee

It matters more than people admit. Career decisions affect relationships, not just income. Having honest conversations with a partner or trusted person creates psychological safety. You are not asking for permission. You are building alignment. That makes long term effort sustainable.

Interviewer

You have mentioned the danger of instant gratification culture. How does that impact career decisions?

Ashkan Rajaee

It distorts expectations. People think motivation should feel exciting all the time. When progress feels slow or boring, they assume something is wrong. In reality, boredom often means you are doing foundational work. Those who can tolerate that phase gain a massive advantage.

Interviewer

For someone reading this who feels uneasy about their job but unsure what to do next, what is the first step?

Ashkan Rajaee

Stop framing the situation as a crisis. It is a signal, not an emergency. Spend time thinking, not scrolling. Write down what you want your life to look like in five or ten years. Then ask if your current role realistically supports that future. That question alone changes how you see everything else.

Interviewer

Final thought?

Ashkan Rajaee

A job can be a chapter. It does not have to be the entire story. Awareness is the beginning of choice, and choice is where real freedom starts.