I have three points in regards to this type of situation:
1. Doing something for others, or taking action on something, doesn't mean that you're helping. To act and to help are not the same thing. Sometimes, in order to help a situation, it's best to do nothing. Choosing to do nothing is usually the harder choice; it's more painful and can be detrimental to individuals in the short-term. If you're truly interested in helping the situation, that's something you'll have to consider because you may get stuck with the painful part.
2. Clinging to an outdated concept or a memory (even worse) is not realistic. It's not what's happening right now. Are you really sure about that memory you have? Was it really that great? If it's been some time, maybe you've romanticized it or conveniently forgotten the bad parts of that great season or that great job. If what actually happened were compared to your memory of it, the two could be completely different.
3. You have no control over the future. No one has any idea what could happen tomorrow. By not letting go, you may be denying something even better in the future. There are no facts in the future. Even gravity isn't a fact. It's a theory. You could keep dropping a ball over and over and maybe one day it'll fall up instead of down. It could happen. Sure lots of things would need to occur in order for it to happen, but my point here is that no one knows. No, you're not a psychic. Psychics do not exist as they define themselves. They name themselves as psychic and then they take your money. That's a whole other topic.
My work team is made up of several individuals with varying years and type of experience. We also all have different needs. I don't have a family so I could take a pay hit or a job loss slightly better than someone who has others to support. Some of us have cleaned up after others and have been the band-aid because we may have thought at the time that it was helping or that it was the right thing to do, but we're three years into the new college and nothing has changed. The system is not improving, morale is not improving, we haven't increased efficiency or improved work life, we've only identified our stressors. Oh, and we've made some lists of things that would make it better.
People are given Service Awards for going "above and beyond". If it didn't help the college but only allowed others to slough off, then maybe that shouldn't be rewarded. Couples are celebrated when reaching a milestone like a fortieth wedding anniversary, but if they've made themselves miserable, maybe they shouldn't have stayed married that long. Maybe I should head into the unknown and see what else is out there.
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