Notice what you are getting used to

Ambition · Little Light original

The first time a colleague was spoken to that way, you noticed. Months later, you barely look up. Nothing dramatic happened between those moments. You learned when to stay quiet, which jokes to ignore, and how to explain the atmosphere to someone joining the team. Adaptation can help you manage a difficult workplace, but familiarity is not proof that the situation is acceptable. Occasionally, compare the ordinary day with the standards you would want for someone you care about. You may not be able to challenge everything safely or leave immediately. Recognising what is happening still matters; it keeps the environment from becoming your only measure of what work can be. Ambition need not mean becoming endlessly tolerant of whatever surrounds an opportunity. It can include building options, finding trustworthy support, or refusing to repeat the behaviour when you gain authority yourself. Keep a record of what you do not want to carry forward. Your next step can be shaped by more than what you have learned to endure.

Little Light