Right now, I’m seeing wave after wave of retrenchments, redundancies, and executives being quietly pushed out of the workplace.
And the common thread?
So many of these people stayed because they were loyal.
They waited out poor leadership.
They tolerated toxic cultures.
They put up with being overlooked or held back.
They kept telling themselves, “It will get better.”
They stayed because they believed loyalty would pay off.
But here’s the harsh reality: the one person you should be loyal to is you.
Not the organisation.
Not the leader who doesn’t see your value.
Not the promises of “next year will be different.”
You.
The Cost of Loyalty
I hear it all the time:
- “I’ve got years of sick leave banked up.”
- “I can’t leave now – I’m so close to long service leave.”
- “It’s not the right time.”
But let me tell you, it may never feel like the “right time.” And too often, the choice gets taken away before you make it yourself.
That’s when anger creeps in. Frustration. Resentment.
Because deep down, you knew you were unhappy, unfulfilled, frustrated – but you stayed.
And then one day, the decision is made for you. And now you’re resentful.
Loyalty to Yourself Is Not Selfish
This isn’t about walking out at the first sign of challenge. Growth requires grit. Every workplace has its ups and downs.
But there’s a difference between grit and tolerating what doesn’t serve you.
True loyalty is this:
- Staying aligned to your values.
- Protecting your energy.
- Backing your own potential.
- Using your voice.
- Nurturing your network and keeping your options open
Because when you’re loyal to yourself, you make better choices about where and how you give your time, talent, and energy.
You Always Have a Choice
I say this often because it matters: you always have a choice.
You can choose to stop tolerating.
You can choose to stop putting up with less than you deserve.
You can choose to take control before the choice is taken away from you.
Loyalty to an organisation won’t save you when times get tough.
But loyalty to yourself will always set you up to thrive.
A Question for You
So let me leave you with this:
Are you staying because it’s truly where you want to be or because loyalty has become your excuse to stay stuck? And that feels easier.
Because at the end of the day, the only loyalty that creates freedom, fulfilment, and impact… is loyalty to yourself.