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Sorry to hear about it... Motivation is an unfortunately difficult placeholder word when a lot of other words and descriptions could work better. Could it be t

Sorry to hear about it... Motivation is an unfortunately difficult placeholder word when a lot of other words and descriptions could work better. Could it be that your preferred perspectives and roles are blocked by others at work, and your ability to believe in a good outcome is compromised? Just as one example. In this case it might help to reframe your role and your tools, in a way that still fits your skills. In this way, differing descriptions of the problem can sometimes offer new leverage. Same with "boring". Can your perspective on boredom be described in a different way that highlights solutions that weren't on the table before? I have one friend who finds a lack of ideation boring, because he's a conceptualizer. I have another friend who finds a lack of physical stimulation boring. And we would need to know, are you only temporarily comfortable ruling options out before trying them, and are you eventually going to feel more willing to allow for random unknowns and outside possibilities and try them? In such a case we could put switching jobs externally and internally both back on the mood board, which at least gives you more local control over the general process. There's a lot of ground to cover but I hope you find yourself getting some good ideas as you ask around. Good luck and may you find yourself in an awesome new work situation.

giantg2 5y ago
I definitely don't believe in good outcomes. I don't think performance is rewarded, and the next level is unobtainable. The systems only get more complex and unstable. The company has been making a string of decisions that have a negative impact on employees too. I'm a midlevel application engineer mostly maintaining systems that move data from a legacy system into a cloud system. There's a high level of context switching and constant PRD support issues. It's a terrible environment for me, yet most other postings don't seem any better. I haven't completely ruled out internal or external moves, but I'm tired of people saying "just leave". I have posted to a couple internal and external roles, but didn't get them (not enough "real" Android experience). I have some professional and personal things that limit some of my choices and can make the switch difficult/risky. I am a conceptualizer. I do think it's a lack of ideation, or that the even when new ideas are presented they aren't pursued. I think I'd love a job as an architect, but that's unobtainable from my current level.
- themodelplumber 5y ago
  God, you reminded me what an energy drain it was to be in such a situation. I hear you there. I hope you'll take good care of yourself in your daily routines while you get this bigger-picture issue sorted. > I think I'd love a job as an architect, but that's unobtainable from my current level. You do seem like the exact kind of person who would benefit from using an architect's tools and perspectives. Fortunately being big-picture tools in large part, they are very readily adaptable to any process you want. IDEO design interviews and videos on YT, and lectures on systems thinking are sometimes a fun way to rekindle this type of mindset for problem-solving purposes. (An open-ended, architectural process of designing the system that will get you into your next fulfilling position? Not everybody can do that, but based on what you wrote, you'd go to the front of my line...)
  - giantg2 5y ago
    Thanks! "An open-ended, architectural process of designing the system that will get you into your next fulfilling position?" It's certainly a challenging task. There are some significant constraints in my situation. I'm tempted to just not care, let them eventually fire me, and find a low stress job like working at Lowe's. It's boring but the expectations at $11/hr f you money at the opposite end of the spectrum (as in you don't pay me enough to care).
    - themodelplumber 5y ago
      yw. The temptation makes sense to me. I know a lot of people who have done something similar. I remember one who was a top salesman at a solar company, but totally burnt out. He had four custom houses in locations around the world; he sold them all & narrowed down his possessions into a single carry-on. Broke up with his GF and poof, his new interim life had started. He jumped around to a few different positions (f-u-style) before eventually re-anchoring. In a lot of cases this is something like a personal transformation process, as well, or can be described as such...
- 908B64B197 5y ago
  > I'm a midlevel application engineer mostly maintaining systems that move data from a legacy system into a cloud system. The real question is: Are you working for a tech company or a regular business that "happens to do tech". If the latter, it's time to jump ship.

giantg2 5y ago

I definitely don't believe in good outcomes. I don't think performance is rewarded, and the next level is unobtainable. The systems only get more complex and unstable. The company has been making a string of decisions that have a negative impact on employees too. I'm a midlevel application engineer mostly maintaining systems that move data from a legacy system into a cloud system. There's a high level of context switching and constant PRD support issues. It's a terrible environment for me, yet most other postings don't seem any better. I haven't completely ruled out internal or external moves, but I'm tired of people saying "just leave". I have posted to a couple internal and external roles, but didn't get them (not enough "real" Android experience). I have some professional and personal things that limit some of my choices and can make the switch difficult/risky. I am a conceptualizer. I do think it's a lack of ideation, or that the even when new ideas are presented they aren't pursued. I think I'd love a job as an architect, but that's unobtainable from my current level.

themodelplumber 5y ago
God, you reminded me what an energy drain it was to be in such a situation. I hear you there. I hope you'll take good care of yourself in your daily routines while you get this bigger-picture issue sorted. > I think I'd love a job as an architect, but that's unobtainable from my current level. You do seem like the exact kind of person who would benefit from using an architect's tools and perspectives. Fortunately being big-picture tools in large part, they are very readily adaptable to any process you want. IDEO design interviews and videos on YT, and lectures on systems thinking are sometimes a fun way to rekindle this type of mindset for problem-solving purposes. (An open-ended, architectural process of designing the system that will get you into your next fulfilling position? Not everybody can do that, but based on what you wrote, you'd go to the front of my line...)
- giantg2 5y ago
  Thanks! "An open-ended, architectural process of designing the system that will get you into your next fulfilling position?" It's certainly a challenging task. There are some significant constraints in my situation. I'm tempted to just not care, let them eventually fire me, and find a low stress job like working at Lowe's. It's boring but the expectations at $11/hr f you money at the opposite end of the spectrum (as in you don't pay me enough to care).
  - themodelplumber 5y ago
    yw. The temptation makes sense to me. I know a lot of people who have done something similar. I remember one who was a top salesman at a solar company, but totally burnt out. He had four custom houses in locations around the world; he sold them all & narrowed down his possessions into a single carry-on. Broke up with his GF and poof, his new interim life had started. He jumped around to a few different positions (f-u-style) before eventually re-anchoring. In a lot of cases this is something like a personal transformation process, as well, or can be described as such...
908B64B197 5y ago
> I'm a midlevel application engineer mostly maintaining systems that move data from a legacy system into a cloud system. The real question is: Are you working for a tech company or a regular business that "happens to do tech". If the latter, it's time to jump ship.