Your Job Isn’t Your Life Coach - It’s Your Platform by Bob Reish, Caveat Institute

"A job gives you a chair. But no one’s going to stand you up in it. That’s on you." – Bob Reish

Let’s talk about something nobody wants to admit out loud…  Your employer doesn’t owe you happiness.

They owe you safety, fairness, and clarity. Period.

But somewhere along the line, we started expecting more. We expected our jobs to complete us. To motivate us. To inspire us. To validate us.

That’s not a career; that’s a codependent relationship.

Let me paint you a picture.

Imagine showing up to the gym, sitting on the bench press, and waiting for someone else to lift the weight for you. Now imagine being upset when you don’t get stronger.

That’s exactly what some people are doing at work. They show up. They sit in the chair. And then they wait for leadership, HR, or their manager to inject purpose into their lives like it’s part of the benefits package.

It’s not.

Your job is not your life coach. It’s your platform. What you build on that platform? That’s your responsibility.

I see this every week with clients in their 20s, 30s, and 40s—smart, driven professionals who feel “stuck.” They’re burned out not because the job is hard, but because they expected it to deliver meaning like it was a vending machine.

At Caveat Institute, we call this the Entitlement Trap. And it sounds like this:

·   “They’re not recognizing my value.”

·    “This job doesn’t give me what I need anymore.”

·    “I don’t feel inspired by leadership.”

Let me be clear. Inspiration is earned through impact, not handed out like coffee mugs.

You want more from your job? Ask yourself what your job has gotten from you lately.

Your employer gives you the chair. You decide what happens in it.

You don’t need a perfect culture. You need personal clarity. You don’t need someone to tell you what matters. You need the courage to live like it already does.

Let me share a story from Coach Barry Switzer, legendary head football coach at the University of Oklahoma. When addressing his team, he said:

“Make no mistake, you are here to play football. That is it. Now, you take advantage of the opportunity to get an education.”

What he meant was clear: your job is the game. What you do with the opportunities it creates—that’s on you.

If that feels heavy, good. If it stings, even better. Because that discomfort? That’s the gap between where you are… and who you’re supposed to be.

Here’s the Caveat:

If you’re waiting on your employer to give you purpose, you’re not an employee. You’re a dependent.

And business doesn’t need more dependents. It needs owners.

Own your results. Own your mood. Own your mission.

Because the chair is already yours. Now stand up in it… and lead.