The Lie We Were Sold: Promotions Don’t Actually Make Us Happier
If you work in tech long enough, you start to notice a pattern.
Every team has That Person, the one who swears life will finally make sense once they get the next promotion.
The next title.
The next level.
The next badge of corporate prestige.
And honestly? I used to be that person too.
Not because I loved climbing the ladder…
but because I was raised to believe that achievement is the only form of safety.
Growing up, success felt like currency. It bought approval. Praise. Acceptance.
So when tech said, “Here’s a hierarchy you can climb forever,” my brain went,
Oh cool, an infinite treadmill. I love suffering.
The High of the Promotion (and How Fast It Fades)
Let’s be honest.
Promotions do feel good.
For a moment you feel like the chosen one, the main character, the corporate Beyoncé.
Your DMs blow up. Your parents smile at you like you finally made it.
You update your LinkedIn and feel powerful.
But then, almost instantly, the high evaporates.
By week two, you’re back in the same chair, at the same desk, doing slightly more work for slightly more money and significantly more expectations. The novelty fades, and you’re left with… the same life you had before, just with a fancier title.
It's like buying a new phone.
Amazing on day one.
Normal on day three.
Forgotten by day seven.
The Goalpost Always Moves
Here’s the part no one tells you:
Promotions are designed to be temporary wins.
The second you achieve one, you’re measured against the next.
“Congrats on Senior! So when are you thinking about Staff?”
“Wow you nailed that project! Ready to lead the next cross-team initiative?”
“You got promoted last year… any updates on your growth trajectory?”
Like please… I am just a little guy trying to enjoy my purple latte. 🥲
The goalpost doesn’t just move , it sprints.
Why Promotions Can’t Fix Your Actual Life
Promotions don’t guarantee:
better friendships
deeper relationships
more time
less stress
improved mental health
the ability to touch grass
a personality
sleep
A promotion won’t save you from burnout.
It won’t cure loneliness.
It won’t make you feel more connected to your own life.
But we're taught to believe it will. That once we get the next shiny thing, happiness comes with it like a free sample.
Spoiler: it doesn’t.
What Actually Makes Life Feel Good
The things that stabilize you, ground you, energize you, are shockingly simple.
A hobby you do just for fun.
A friend you laugh with until your stomach hurts.
A night where you go home instead of staying late.
A long walk with no headphones.
A notebook full of dreams no one else needs to validate.
A community that doesn’t need your title to love you.
Promotions are nice, but they are not identity.
They’re not joy.
They’re not meaning.
Your life is built from what happens outside the office.
The Real Lie
We were sold the idea that success equals happiness.
But the truth is more human, more wholesome, and honestly more freedom-filled:
Happiness comes from building a life you actually like living, not a title that looks impressive online.
In the next part of this series, we’ll talk about the antidote to the grind,
the soft rebellion that saved me: hobbies.
Because no title has ever made me feel as alive as the things I do simply because they make me smile.
– The Cat Cache Team 🐾