I find that having a 163 IQ generally helps -- people in this bracket generally don't have such problems because they can easily reason out of their current situation. I can empathize with people who can't, though, but it's definitely a mental state.
Ask HN: Have you ever felt trapped?
11–20 of 60 posts
Re: Ask HN: Have you ever felt trapped?
#12While acknowledging the "first world problems" nature of this, post acquisition handcuffs were really difficult for me. I was bored, underleveled, and overpaid. It took me a long time to leave because I feel that taking a pay cut was doing a disservice to my children. I definitely felt trapped.
I ended up leaving a chunk of money on the table for something more fulfilling. Things worked out. I'm poorer than I would be, but not poor by any stretch of the definition (except for maybe house poor. Yay bay area real estate). But I don't feel trapped. I've got engaging work and feel I've grown a lot since I left. And I'm more fun at home with my kids.
Re: Ask HN: Have you ever felt trapped?
#13[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: Have you ever felt trapped?
#14Many years ago when I was no longer happy with my job I began to quietly search for a new one. My current job paid well but I had hit a wall and felt I was not going to make any progress on my career if I stayed there. I ended up getting an excellent offer for a job across the country that even included relocation expenses. I was thrilled and ready to put in my two weeks notice and pack it all up except when I went to tell my wife about it she made it very clear she did not want to relocate anywhere, and any scenario that involves relocation will end in divorce.
Re: Ask HN: Have you ever felt trapped?
#15Many years ago when I was no longer happy with my job I began to quietly search for a new one. My current job paid well but I had hit a wall and felt I was not going to make any progress on my career if I stayed there. I ended up getting an excellent offer for a job across the country that even included relocation expenses. I was thrilled and ready to put in my two weeks notice and pack it all up except when I went t…
Your wife didn’t know before you even interviewed?
Re: Ask HN: Have you ever felt trapped?
#16I find that having a 163 IQ generally helps -- people in this bracket generally don't have such problems because they can easily reason out of their current situation. I can empathize with people who can't, though, but it's definitely a mental state.
"Superior IQs are associated with mental and physical disorders, research suggests"
It calls out mood and anxiety disorders, which might be a disadvantage in this situation.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bad-news-for-the-...
Re: Ask HN: Have you ever felt trapped?
#17Many years ago when I was no longer happy with my job I began to quietly search for a new one. My current job paid well but I had hit a wall and felt I was not going to make any progress on my career if I stayed there. I ended up getting an excellent offer for a job across the country that even included relocation expenses. I was thrilled and ready to put in my two weeks notice and pack it all up except when I went t…
I'm sorry your marriage didn't work out.
Re: Ask HN: Have you ever felt trapped?
#18Earlier quoted context omitted.
Not a ton without compromising anonymity. What specifically do you want to know more about?
Not the guy asking the question, but: was 12 months a good period of time? Would 6 or 9 months have been too short? 18 months too long?
Twice (starting new enterprises) if it weren’t for a couple lucky breaks I’d have needed at minimum 18 months. As it was, I burned down about 6 months worth the first time before starting to break even. The second time it both took off and crashed quickly and I didn’t burn much cash during the enterprise itself but did spend 3 months after unemployed and looking for a 9-5 job.
A third time (joining an early stage startup as a late founder) 6 months would have been a decent contingency if it went under fast, 12 if it withered away slowly. (Also caught a lucky break on that one and had a soft landing.)
Once (walking away from a bad job and looking for one that was a stretch), 6 months would have been plenty because if the gamble didn’t work out I knew I could reset my sights lower after a few months of looking and be employed somewhere within 6 weeks.
So the answer is very much “it depends on the circumstances”.
Re: Ask HN: Have you ever felt trapped?
#19I find that having a 163 IQ generally helps -- people in this bracket generally don't have such problems because they can easily reason out of their current situation. I can empathize with people who can't, though, but it's definitely a mental state.
"Superior IQs are associated with mental and physical disorders, research suggests" It calls out mood and anxiety disorders, which might be a disadvantage in this situation. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bad-news-for-the-...
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Re: Ask HN: Have you ever felt trapped?
#20Guess I’m just another in the mix here, I’ve been putting out job apps for some time and thought I had a promotion coming that was given to someone else for what appears to be political reasons as I’m more qualified. At least I have more motivation to move somewhere else I suppose because being passed on for someone I have helped grow daily is just the icing on the cake and shows how blind the company is to their ever growing list of internal issues.