Why Climbing the Corporate Ladder Isn’t Always Worth It
Climbing the corporate ladder is often seen as the ultimate marker of success. Promotions, bigger paychecks, and fancier titles are supposed to be the reward for years of hard work. Right?! Umm…
But what if you reached “the top” and it doesn’t feel as fulfilling as you expected? What if the climb itself comes with hidden costs that no one talks about?
The Illusion of Success
From a young age, many of us are taught that career advancement equals personal success.
The idea is simple: the higher you climb, the more accomplished you are.
But is that really true?
In reality, the pursuit of external validation can be a trap.
Each promotion can feel like a fleeting dopamine-infused high, quickly replaced by pressure to perform at a new level. The truth is, more responsibility doesn’t always mean more satisfaction.
The Origins of the Corporate Ladder
Where did the the concept of "climbing the corporate ladder" even come from? Well, it is deeply rooted in the rise of corporate culture during the early 20th century. As industries grew rapidly during the Industrial Revolution, companies began to formalize hierarchies to manage their expanding workforces. The notion gained significant traction during the post-World War II era, when economic growth fueled corporate expansion and a stable job market.
For Baby Boomers, in particular, the corporate ladder became synonymous with the American Dream — a promise that hard work and loyalty to a company would lead to steady promotions, financial security, and eventual retirement with a pension.
Success was measured by upward mobility, with each rung representing personal achievement and societal approval.
However, I think you’ll agree with me when I say times have changed. As an older Millennial, I knew I’d never have a pension and if I wanted to have any retirement savings, that would be up to me through an individual retirement account (IRA). BTW, these were created in the 1970s to shift the long-term financial responsibility from employers to the individual. Interesting…
In her article The 'Capitalism is Broken' Economy, Anne Helen Petersen says:
“The models up and down the American economy are unsustainable. They have been built on the belief that profit — and, in many cases, exponential growth — should, as a rule, supersede labor conditions.
In ‘knowledge’ jobs, they have been guided by the false idols of productivity and workism; in the retail and hospitality industry, these conditions have been facilitated by anti-labor campaigns, perverse private equity imperatives, and lax (or non-existent) regulation of the gig economy.
The pandemic did not create these conditions. It simply made them even more impossible to ignore — and created scenarios in which some workers (not all, but some!) have been empowered, perhaps for the first time in their working lives, to opt out.”
Not sure what workism is?
From Wikipedia: Workism is a term describing excessive devotion to work ethic, so much that it defines a person's purpose in life. The term was coined by American journalist Derek Thompson, in a 2019 article for The Atlantic magazine.
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Today’s workforce faces different economic realities, shifting values, and evolving definitions of success. The cost of education and everyday living expenses have sky-rocketed and despite increases in productivity, wages for many workers have not kept up with inflation. This means that we have less purchasing power and higher financial strain.
These economic realities necessitate a reevaluation of what success means. It has led to more of us questioning the idea that more is always better. It isn’t.
The corporate ladder is no longer the only path (and for some of us, it was never an available path to begin with). Nor is it necessarily the most fulfilling.
The Hidden Costs of Career Advancement
What no one tells you is that climbing the ladder often comes with unexpected consequences:
Increased Workload: More responsibilities usually mean longer hours and heightened expectations. Getting a promotion doesn’t guarantee more money. And if it does, do the math - because it may come at a lower hourly rate if you’re working more hours.
Work-Life Imbalance: Time for personal interests, hobbies, family, or rest often takes a backseat to professional demands. Also known as workism (see above)!
Emotional Toll: Higher positions can bring feelings of isolation, imposter syndrome, and the constant weight of decision-making. It can also lead to career burnout.
One of my earliest memories of navigating the hidden costs of a promotion is when I was 16. I had been working at an ice cream shop during the summer when my hard work was rewarded with a promotion to Manager and a $1.00/hour raise.
I was so proud! Until… I had to come in early and stay late to make the employee schedules, take the deposit to the bank every night (this was in a busy tourist area with lots of drunk people), and my co-workers left me out of things. This last part hit the hardest because one of my favorite parts of the job was joking around with the people I worked with!
This is me (left) at age 16 sitting in front of the ice cream shop with one of my co-workers.
The Pressure of Financial Responsibilities
Are the stakes of not taking a promotion higher when you’re an adult with financial responsibilities? Absolutely. Each career decision carries weight when you’re balancing rent or mortgage payments, childcare costs, medical bills, and the ever-rising cost of living. Turning down a promotion can feel like turning down financial security, especially if you’re already struggling to make ends meet.
A higher salary often means the ability to build a safety net, pay off debt, or simply afford some breathing room. But that financial relief can come at the cost of your time, energy, and mental health.
I know this cost personally. It was around year 5 in my business when I found myself earning the highest income I ever had. I didn’t have employees which meant in my service-based business, I was fulfilling my client’s needs on top of marketing myself and doing everything else required to run a business. To keep up, I worked more. I was excited to see the number in my bank account grow, but I realized it was costing me my joy. I was no longer prioritizing my relationship and time with friends. I wasn’t spending much time in nature and this is where I’m happiest. I knew I had to make a change. So instead of raising my rates (I wanted to keep my services accessible), I focused on the question “What’s enough money?” and this continues to guide me as an entrepreneur. (Especially one with no kids who enjoys her work and could literally work around the clock!)
I share this story with you because I learned that financial stability and career satisfaction don’t always go hand in hand. The pressure to "level up" professionally can sometimes push you into roles that feel misaligned with your skills or passions, all because the next paycheck feels like a lifeline. Understanding the trade-offs — and finding a balance between financial necessity and personal fulfillment — is crucial when navigating career growth.
But make sure you’re asking yourself - at what cost?
Rethinking Career Fulfillment
One of the most common worries I hear from clients about not climbing the corporate ladder is that they will be perceived as lazy and lacking ambition. That people will see them as not living up to their fullest potential. We’re socialized to think this way, from earning gold stars in kindergarten to that “Employee of the Month” award at work. We upload the belief that productivity equals our self-worth. Pressure to “keep up” can come from family and friends. It also comes from ourselves.
When was the last time you scrolled LinkedIn and compared your success to the success of others?
What other ways can you be ambitious?
The word ambition means “a strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work.”
Can you be ambitious about keeping 1-2 really strong friendships? Can you be ambitious about a hobby? Or being well rested? Or something else that gives you satisfaction that isn’t related to how you make an income?
I highly recommend reading the Culture Study post - This Will Change The Way You Think About Ambition. It’s an interview with Rainesford Stauffer, Author of All the Gold Stars: Reimagining Ambition and the Ways We Strive.
From the interview:
“Now, I’d describe it as full. I’m still ambitious about work, but in a more meaningful, sustainable way, with a better sense of how I contribute rather than just what I produce. To me, if we really break it down, a lot of ambition is where we put dedication, care, and passion. That could be how we’re of service to other people, how we show up as a friend, and how we invest in what we love, whether it’s a community or a hobby. I think contributing, healing, and caring are ambitious. I’ve found there is so much for me to be ambitious about, way beyond the context of accomplishment.”
So, if climbing the corporate ladder isn’t the only path to career success, what is?
Define Your Own Success: Take a step back and ask yourself what truly matters to you. Is it flexibility, creativity, or perhaps stability?
The Power of Staying Put: Mastering a role you enjoy can bring its own kind of fulfillment. Not every career needs to be a race to the top.
Explore Alternative Paths: Lateral moves, skill-building, and passion projects can offer just as much growth and satisfaction.
Redefining success on your own terms can be incredibly liberating. I can’t tell you how much better I felt after figuring out my “enough” salary number! It felt like my whole life opened up to me again.
Making Peace with Your Choice
Letting go of the idea that upward mobility equals success isn’t easy, especially when societal norms push the opposite narrative. But setting boundaries and advocating for what you want is a powerful act.
Success isn’t one-size-fits-all. The corporate ladder isn’t inherently wrong, especially if the benefits outweigh the costs, but it isn’t the only way to thrive. Give yourself permission to choose a path that aligns with your values, whether that means climbing higher, staying where you are, or carving out a new direction entirely.
So, what does success look like for you? Is the climb worth the cost? Or is there another path that feels more like you?
Resources for Redefining Success:
When a job promotion makes work worse, not better. - by me!
Quitted Podcast - a podcast about quitting, hosted by Holly Whitaker and Emily McDowell. “For all of us, there comes a time when in order to thrive (or simply survive!), we have to walk away from something that represents a huge piece of our identity.”
Transforming Scarcity Mindset to Abundance by Carissa Potter
Navigating the mental load of starting a new job: How to Set Expectations Without Burnout - also by me
Career Exhaustion vs. Career Burnout - a collaborative post between myself and my bestie Christine O’Neill who lives with chronic illness and has struggled with severe burnout.
Workism Is Making Americans Miserable by Derek Thompson. He coined the term ‘Workism’
