Staying at one workplace for a long time? Not necessarily a bad move.
In the game of life, there are players who stick with the same “guild” for years and those who, after mastering the basics, move on to their next “quest” every three years. I used to be the latter, switching jobs every time I felt I had leveled up enough. But for the first time in my “career journey,” I’ve stayed with one company for seven years—and counting.
Right now, my main quest is editing integrated reports. It’s not the most exciting mission, and I’m not particularly invested in the content. But here I am, still playing this role. Why? Because the “environment” suits me: it’s a hybrid of Japanese and English, the rewards (salary) are decent, and I’ve unlocked the ability to use free time for reading books and writing blogs while on duty. Looking back, I’ve often found myself tackling side quests—those “unnecessary tasks”—because I never expected the main mission to move forward quickly.
With experience, I’ve learned how to handle various quests. As I’ve gained more “XP” from different projects, solving familiar problems feels easier, almost like fighting the same monsters over and over again. Along the way, my position in the company has leveled up, and I’ve noticed that more people listen to what I have to say compared to when I was a “novice player.” It’s like earning “reputation points” that boost my confidence.
These days, I observe younger players struggle through their own early quests, just like I did. Maybe, they surpass me, speeding ahead to the next challenge, and other times, I fall behind. But I remind myself that every player moves at their own pace. In my spare moments, I enjoy the downtime—reading books and leveling up my personal skills. Of course, when the next major quest comes, I’m ready to take action.
