“I know I should probably move, but I’ve been here a long time.”

Loyalty is a good thing. It shows commitment, resilience, and character. But staying in the wrong role, in the wrong business, for too long can quietly start doing more harm than good, often without you realising it.

This isn’t about chasing the next shiny opportunity or moving every 18 months. It’s about recognising when a role has stopped giving you what you need to grow.

The Warning Signs People Ignore

Most people don’t wake up one day and suddenly decide they’re stuck. It creeps up on you. Common signs include:

• You’re no longer learning anything new

• Progression has been “six months away” for years

• You’re busy, but not developing

• You feel undervalued, underpaid, or overlooked

• You’re staying out of comfort, not opportunity

What worries me most is when people convince themselves this is just “how it is” and that things will eventually improve. In many cases, they don’t.

How It Looks From the Outside

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: when someone stays too long in a stagnant role, it shows on their CV.

Hiring managers start asking questions like:

• Why haven’t they progressed?

• Why haven’t they moved environments?

• Have they been overlooked internally?

Even strong candidates can end up being perceived as “safe” rather than ambitious, not because they lack ability, but because they’ve stayed still for too long.

Comfort Can Be the Biggest Risk

Comfort is powerful. A steady salary, familiar faces, and knowing what tomorrow looks like can make it very easy to stay put. But comfort can also:

• Lower your confidence over time

• Reduce your exposure to new ways of working

• Make future moves feel riskier than they need to be

Ironically, the longer you stay, the harder it can feel to leave, even when you know deep down that you should.

This Isn’t About Running Away

Let me be clear: I’m not saying you should leave a role the moment things get tough. Every job has challenges, and growth often comes from working through them.

The difference is this:

• Are the challenges helping you develop?

• Or are they the same problems on repeat, year after year?

If you’ve raised concerns, asked about progression, and given it time, but nothing has changed, that’s not loyalty. That’s stagnation.

The Cost of Waiting Too Long

What really hurts is seeing people wait until they’re completely fed up before moving. At that point, decisions become reactive rather than considered.

Instead of choosing the right opportunity, people jump at the next one, often repeating the same mistakes in a different business. That’s how careers end up drifting rather than progressing.

Final Thought

A good career move isn’t always about leaving quickly — but it is about leaving at the right time.

If you’re unsure whether you’re being patient or just stuck, a proper conversation can make all the difference. Sometimes you don’t need a new job — you just need clarity.

And if you want an honest discussion about where you’re at and what your options really look like, I’m always happy to help.