If you’ve ever thought, “I’ve put too much into this career to change now,” you’re not alone. It’s one of the most common things I hear from clients who feel stuck in work that no longer fits them.
The term for this way of thinking is sunk cost fallacy. It’s the idea that we keep investing in something purely because we’ve already invested a lot in it — even when, deep down, we know it’s no longer right for us.
In our careers, this shows up as staying in a role or industry long after it stops being fulfilling. We tell ourselves things might improve, or that leaving would mean wasting years of experience, effort and training.
But that’s not the full picture.
Psychologically, we’re wired to avoid loss. Research shows we feel the pain of losing something more strongly than the pleasure of gaining something new. So when you think about changing career, your brain focuses on what you might lose — income, status, identity, security — rather than what you might gain.
And those concerns are completely understandable. By your 30s or 40s, you’re likely thinking about financial stability, progression, and how others see you. If you’ve built a reputation or reached a senior level, walking away can feel like giving something up.
But staying comes at a cost too.
Many people I coach with describe a constant internal tug-of-war: knowing they don’t want another 20 years of their current situation, but feeling unable to leave. That tension can lead to stress, low motivation, and a dip in mood. It can even spill over into the rest of someone’s life, affecting their energy and relationships.
Then there’s the opportunity cost — what you miss out on by not exploring something better suited to you.
So how do you move forward?
First, reframe the idea that changing career means “wasting” your experience. It doesn’t. Most skills are far more transferable than you think. Communication, problem-solving, leadership, relationship-building — these show up in countless roles. A career change is usually about applying your existing strengths in a new context, not starting from scratch.
Second, recognise that career change is increasingly normal. Very few people now follow a single, linear path for life. Work is changing fast, and most people will make several meaningful career shifts.
Third, cut your younger self some slack. You made the best career decision you could at the time, based on what you knew and what mattered to you which might simply have been to start earning, whatever the field. Outgrowing a career doesn’t mean you got it wrong — it just means you have different needs.
It’s also worth getting clear on what’s actually not working. Is it the type of work itself? Or is it your environment, your team, or a temporary phase? Understanding this helps you decide whether you need a significant career change or just a change of role or organisation.
Finally, give yourself permission to explore. You don’t need to have it all figured out straight away. Talk to people in areas you’re curious about. Try a course. Get involved in a different kind of project in your existing organisation. Small low risk experiments like these give you valuable insights and help you make an evidence based decision about what’s next for you.
If the only thing keeping you where you are is the time and energy you’ve already invested, it’s worth asking a simple question:
Is that really a good enough reason to stay?
Because your future deserves just as much investment as your past.
With thanks for the photo by Dan Dennis on Unsplash
