Anonymous wrote:That's kinda how I was/am. I attribute it to the 4 year itch. Basically, high school was 4 years, college was 4 years, grad school was 3 years(ok, not 4). After approx. 4 years of something, the challenge is gone, I've learned all I can about a company/subject, and then I want to move on.

My one long-term 9 year job, I was ok slowing down for a while, because I pursued goals outside of work (namely having a family, moving, investing, etc)

I think you should find a project or goal outside of work for a challenge, and wait to see the outcome of your unfocused boss. It would be a shame to leave a good opportunity and see in 2 years that the boss left and someone else is reaping your benefits.

I hear you. I just started C25K, and I'm serving on a nonprofit board, and I'm hoping that will help. I feel like I also need something like that INSIDE my job that will re-spark my passion for what we do.

That's kinda how I was/am. I attribute it to the 4 year itch. Basically, high school was 4 years, college was 4 years, grad school was 3 years(ok, not 4). After approx. 4 years of something, the challenge is gone, I've learned all I can about a company/subject, and then I want to move on.

My one long-term 9 year job, I was ok slowing down for a while, because I pursued goals outside of work (namely having a family, moving, investing, etc)

I think you should find a project or goal outside of work for a challenge, and wait to see the outcome of your unfocused boss. It would be a shame to leave a good opportunity and see in 2 years that the boss left and someone else is reaping your benefits.

Anonymous wrote:How often do you jump jobs?

Most folks like you - rebuilders - at some point have to settle down in a longer term role.

I know. My last three jobs were four years, two years, and now four years. I really wanted this to be my settle down gig. And I am really trying. But the question is how. I would love to hear from others who have addressed this in themselves and how they did it. If my current boss stays (the one who actually does my reviews and sets my goals) I think I would be a candidate to move up within 1-2 years if I can sustain our current rate of success. And I want to. I'm super proud of my team and they are awesome. But I just cannot get out of this funk of boredom and frustration with the other guy. A move up the chain would put me in a position that is more long-term strategy development and implementation, management and leadership and less of the day-to-day execution.

How often do you jump jobs?

Most folks like you - rebuilders - at some point have to settle down in a longer term role.

I am very good at coming into an organization that needs a boost and new direction to get the next level and getting that done. I love to assess, analyze, create a strategic plan, and implement while building a team. I've done this successfully at my last four jobs, which have been progressively senior with managment responsibilities and more complex each time. What I am NOT good at is sustaining that success once I've achieved it. I get bored. It starts to feel routine. And in my current job, I am actually trapped between two affiliated organizations with a dotted line report to one executive who, while he doesn't control my review, pay, etc, has significant impact on my day to day because he influences business decisions for our work. And I feel like he's an impediment because he can't sustain focus for longer than a month or two and is a poor communicator/manager to boot, so now I'm not only bored but frustrated. This executive is halfway through a five year contract and I'm guessing unlikely to renew, so I could try to wait him out. But I'm finding it brutally hard.

So I'm asking myself - is this a personal growth situation where I need to focus on really developing the skills required to sustain success for a number of years until the next big upward push is needed, or do I simply accept that I am a turnaround artist whose skills are best used in that way and move on to the next gig?