The Safe Path That Led to Nowhere

What if playing it safe actually leads you to the exact place you were trying to avoid?

I recently watched an interview with Jim Carrey where he shared a story about his father that really resonated with me. His dad was a talented musician who could have followed his passion, but he chose a "safe" accounting job to support his family. He believed he was making the smart choice. For years, he went to work at a job that didn’t fulfill him, all because it seemed like the secure option. Then one day, despite all his sacrifices and playing by the rules, he got laid off anyway. That moment changed everything for Jim. He realized that security is often an illusion. You can fail at a job you dislike just as easily as one you love. So why not take the risk on something that truly matters to you?

I understand this because I’ve experienced it. Every job I took solely for the money ended the same way. I got laid off. It hurts every time. Losing a job affects your confidence. You start to question yourself, wondering if you were good enough.

But most of the time, it has nothing to do with you. It’s about budget cuts, restructuring, or the company’s new direction. Your performance isn’t the issue. You just happened to be there when the business decided to downsize or pursue a different strategy. You became collateral damage in someone else’s choice.

Looking back, those layoffs were actually gifts, even if I couldn’t see it then. They happened just when I got too comfortable, when I stopped learning and began to coast. I was collecting a paycheck but not building anything meaningful. At that time, it felt like a complete disaster, like my world was falling apart. But they were wake-up calls pushing me toward work that meant something to me. They forced me out of a rut I didn’t even realize I was in.

are you truly growing right now, or just getting by? Are you learning new skills, taking on challenges that scare you a little, pushing yourself beyond what’s comfortable? Or are you just showing up, doing the minimum, waiting for the weekend? If you feel stuck, maybe that uncomfortable push you’re resisting is exactly what you need.

When life pushes you out of a place where you’ve stopped evolving, it hurts. The rejection stings. The uncertainty is scary. But it also frees something within you. It gives you the chance to reset and pursue what genuinely excites you instead of just paying the bills. It’s permission to stop settling and start building something that reflects who you really are.

If you’re facing this now, try not to see it purely as failure. Sure, it bruises your ego and shakes your confidence. But it also opens up space for something better: the opportunity to do work you care about. The chance to bet on yourself instead of relying on a company that might not support you.

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See you on the next stair,
Alastair