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The Happiest Way to Change Jobs
Article

The Happiest Way to Change Jobs

How to rock your work rather than let the work rule you

The Atlantic, 2023


Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Background
  • For Beginners
  • Engaging

Recommendation

Are you searching for a new job – or maybe just daydreaming about it? When changing jobs, the right approach is critical, writes How to Build a Happy Life podcast host Arthur C. Brooks. In this helpful article, Brooks unveils three career transition truths that can help you more successfully navigate periods of professional change. Learn how having realistic expectations, increasing your overall happiness and being proactive about your career can have positive effects on your professional life and lead to better job-change experiences.

Summary

Fear keeps many people from making job changes.

According to 2022 survey research conducted by Monster.com, 96% of American workers are considering changing jobs. A Pew Research Center study found that only around 30% of workers followed through and changed jobs in 2022, however. Many fail to act on their desire to leave their current job due to fear: They worry that the new position could be worse than their current one.

This fear, rooted in human evolutionary instincts, dominates decision-making processes: Survival often hinges on avoiding unfamiliar and, thus, potentially dangerous circumstances. But staying in a job you don’t enjoy will likely leave you frustrated and dissatisfied. Approaching job change with three truths in mind can help you ...

About the Author

Arthur C. Brooks is a contributing writer at The Atlantic and the host of the How to Build a Happy Life podcast.