How do you face career setbacks ? Navigating Expectation, Growth, and the Uneasy weight of Staying where you are!

We’ve all been there—waiting, hoping, preparing ourselves for that next step: a new role, a change in challenge, a promotion. Sometimes it’s explicit, other times it’s an internal expectation we never even said out loud. But it’s there, shaping how we show up.

“I’ve been pushing hard. Surely something has to change now, right?”

This idea of expectation turning into reality many a times is not a simple journey. It is a product of how the system works. Just like in capitalism, there’s no steady state—either you grow or you get outpaced. And the private sector runs on the same fuel. If you’re not stepping up, someone else will.

And yes, it’s fair—even necessary—to expect something more. Maybe not only because you’re entitled to it, but because the entire structure subtly demands that you keep looking up. If you stop expecting, you might stop trying. That’s dangerous for growth, both for you and for the system.

“I’m not asking for free lunches. I just want to know this effort is going somewhere.”

But here’s where it gets trickier. Expectations without contribution? They don’t stand up. You can want the next thing—but if you haven’t built toward it, you’re just daydreaming. Contribution isn’t just effort; it’s visible, intentional impact.

Still, even that isn’t enough. Like in business, individual success needs more than just execution. You need the right team, the right manager, the right timing. You need your environment to play along. That’s where many people get stuck.

“I’m doing my part. But I can’t move forward if the system doesn’t move with me.”

And no one has a perfect roadmap. You might chase something and realize later it wasn’t worth it. That’s okay. We don’t get to grow without taking that risk.

But here’s the one thing you do get to keep no matter what: your learning. If you’re still learning every day—about the business, about your craft, about yourself—that’s your return on investment. That’s what moves with you, even if nothing else does.

“Even if I walk away tomorrow, I’ll walk away sharper. Only my learning moves with me always”

Now comes the moment of friction. You hear a no. Maybe it’s, “not now.” Maybe it’s, “we don’t see that for you.” Maybe it’s silence.

“Well… that sucks.”

The reflexive response? Switch. Find a new team. Apply outside. Talk to recruiters. It’s the cleanest answer on paper. And yes, sometimes it is the right and easy move too.

“Maybe I’ve waited long enough. Maybe it’s time to switch.”

But switching is rarely easy. You have to prep again. Interviews are rarely about what you do day to day—they’re high-stakes puzzles designed for short-term memory performance. They’re closed-book, and life doesn’t give you much time to study.

“I’m already burned out. Now I have to go solve binary tree problems?”

Then there’s the market. It might not be hiring. There could be layoffs. Visa issues for immigrants. Family responsibilities. Your window of freedom may not line up with the system’s readiness.

So you stay. You stay with the same role, the same team, the same manager. Not because you love it, but because that’s what the moment demands.

“Alright then. I’m staying here. What now?”

Now we ask the real question: how do you grow while staying exactly where you are, how do you keep your head high at a place you want to switch at the drop of hat?

We’ll talk about that in the next post.