Most people fail at careers, relationships and leadership for the same reason. Let me explain.
Ever stood in a supermarket checkout line? Seth Godin described it perfectly:
- The Stayer picks a lane and sticks even when it slows to a crawl.
- The Scrambler jumps lanes constantly, chasing speed.
- The Navigator observes, waits, and switches once with intent.
This isn’t about groceries or queues. It’s about how we live, love, and lead.
In Your Job
The Stayer stays out of loyalty, feels safe in the familiar, and then feels betrayed when layoffs hit.
They confuse comfort with security. It’s not the same.
The job moved on. They didn’t.
The Scrambler chases better titles or packages and then panics when the new role feels empty.
More money. Less meaning.
The Navigator checks in often: Is this still aligned with my growth?
They move before burnout, not after.
In Relationships
The Stayer ignores red flags, hoping things will fix themselves and then breaks when trust finally snaps. They mistake patience for progress.
The Scrambler leaves at the first sign of discomfort and then wonders why every story ends the same.
New face. Same pattern.
The Navigator notices shifts, communicates, adapts or lets go when values drift too far.
They don’t cling. They choose.
In Leadership
The Stayer clings to old ways, resisting change until disruption forces their hand.
By the time they act, it’s already late.
The Scrambler changes strategy every quarter, trying to prove agility but losing team trust.
But chaos gets applause until results dry up.
The Navigator listens, learns, and pivots with clarity.
Calm earns more respect than chaos ever will.
I’ve been all three.
- Stayed too long out of fear.
- Scrambled out of panic because I feared falling behind.
- But when I paused, asked tough questions, and made one intentional move, everything changed.
Stayers break – stuck in jobs, people, old ways.
Scramblers burn out – chasing titles, shifting strategies, switching partners.
Navigators win – because they choose clarity. Every. Single. Time.
Feeling stuck? Ask yourself:
Am I staying, scrambling… or navigating?
Because just like in the checkout line:
You can switch. But only if you know where you’re going.
Where are you right now?