
July 14, 2026
Episode 240 "I cant quit yet" trap
15 min
Episode 240 "I cant quit yet" trap
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In this episode
In this episode I'm getting personal about something I think so many of us wrestle with quietly — what I call the "I can't quit yet" trap. Maybe you've said those words. I said them last summer. The paycheck is good, the benefits are hard to walk away from, people are depending on you, and from the outside everything looks successful. But on the inside, you feel stuck.
Here's the good news I want you to hold onto: you do not have to choose between staying miserable and blowing up your whole life. There's another option. You can build a bridge — one plank at a time. I designed this episode as a short workshop, so grab a notebook and a pen, because we're going to do a little honest work together.
We'll look at what you're afraid of losing, what staying is actually costing you, and the next five small steps — not a five-year plan, just five planks — that can move you toward what you truly want. And I'll remind you of something I believe with my whole heart: you were never meant to build your bridge alone. Community creates courage. Keep going, friend.
Key takeaways
- The "I can't quit yet" trap keeps us stuck — but staying and leaping aren't your only two options. You can build a bridge instead.
- Golden handcuffs aren't always about money. Sometimes they're expectations, identity, comfort, or fear.
- Most people don't stay stuck because they lack courage — they stay stuck because they haven't built a bridge.
- Exercise one: write down what you're afraid of losing, then draw a line down the page — what you gain by staying vs. what staying is costing you (energy, health, creativity, joy, time, purpose).
- Exercise two: draw a bridge from where you are today to where you want to be, and name the five specific planks to get there — saving money, blocking weekly time, coffee with someone doing what you want, updating your resume, launching a small pilot.
- You're building your next five steps, not a five-year plan. Action creates clarity — you don't have to see the whole path to take the next step.
- You were never meant to build your bridge alone. Isolation amplifies fear; community creates courage. Find your people, a mentor, an accountability partner.
Chapters
- 00:00Sponsor: Five Star Painting of Tulsa
- 01:30Welcome + today's topic: the "I can't quit yet" trap
- 03:30Golden handcuffs and why we stay stuck
- 05:30Exercise 1: What am I afraid of losing? Gain vs. cost of staying
- 07:30Stop thinking about the leap, start thinking about the bridge
- 09:00Exercise 2: Draw your bridge and name your five planks
- 11:00You weren't meant to build it alone — find your people
- 12:30Closing questions + this week's one plank
“You do not have to choose between staying stuck and blowing up your entire life. There is another option for you. You can build a bridge.”
“Most people don't stay stuck because they lack courage. They stay stuck because they haven't built a bridge.”
“You are not creating a five year plan. You are creating your next five steps. That's it. Action creates clarity.”
“Isolation amplifies fear, so community creates courage. Find your people.”
Resources mentioned
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