[goodcanadian]

I agree with you to a point. I do think that society is obsessed over "growth" and "progress." If you are happy where you are, then stay.

The trouble is that I am one of those people who feels a drive to keep "moving forward," whatever that means. I have had a job that was by most measures great, but after 5 years, I was still doing exactly the same thing. I was very good at it, and could do it in my sleep, but that meant the challenge had gone out of it. I needed something new. Sadly, I expect that I will spend most of my life like that. As soon as I master one challenge, I will be seeking a new one.

[crpatino]

I think there is a time for everything. Early in your life (professional or otherwise) the heuristic to grow/progress/move forward makes a lot of sense, because you have limited resources. So whatever are your goals, you are better off if you start moving ahead in a somewhat general direction as soon as possible.

But as you make progress, you hopefully gain experience and insight. You learn what it's like out there and what role you want to play in it. Otherwise, the world comes and tell you who you are and who you should be. At this stage, course correction and precision triumph over raw speed. There's a song I like a lot which says: "I don't know which goes faster, the mountain or the crab".

At the end of day, every life form starts with rapid growth. Some of those reach stability, others reach the carrying capacity of their environment.