Why Staying Comfortable Can Stall Your Career
This industry isn’t designed to make change easy.
Pharmacy benefits are tangled in a web of legacy systems and an alarming lack of transparency. It’s a bit unsettling how easy it is to fall into the “this is how it’s always been done” mindset. But the truth is, the moment you get comfortable in your career or in your business model is the moment you stop growing.
I’ve seen people plateau because they’re afraid to challenge the status quo. Smart teams lose momentum because they stop asking, “Can this be better?” Speaking from personal experience, I almost got a bit too comfortable in my career as well.
But the ones who thrive? They don’t wait for permission. They build what’s next.
Get Uncomfortable on Purpose
I spent two decades on the provider side and progressed up to managing a hospital pharmacy. It was predictable, respected, and relatively secure. But I knew I wanted more than routine; I wanted to make an impact. I had mentors along the way who didn’t let me coast. One in particular constantly asked me what my next move was. Not because I wasn’t performing, but because he knew I was capable of more.
That question stuck with me.
So, when the time came, I moved. I transitioned to the payer side, explored the vendor space, and was ready to leap into a technology-forward role. But like many others, I ran into a wall when COVID hit and hiring froze across the board.
That could’ve been the pause button on my career. Instead, it became my reset.
Embrace the Change
When the opportunity to start ChoiceScripts came along, it wasn’t in the plan. It didn’t follow the roadmap I’d built. But it made sense. It aligned with what I believed was missing in pharmacy benefit management: transparency, flexibility, and clinical integrity.
We didn’t create ChoiceScripts to be a shinier version of a traditional PBM. We created it to shake up the industry in the best way possible with the goal of putting clients and members first.
If we waited for the system to evolve on its own, we’d still be waiting. Change doesn’t happen on its own or overnight. It’s built from the ground up by people willing to take a chance and make bold moves.
Disrupt with Purpose
You don’t have to work at a Silicon Valley startup to be a disruptor. What you do have to be is someone who questions what isn’t working and then acts on it. Whether you’re a pharmacist, an account manager, or an executive, you have two choices:
- Protect the status quo.
- Challenge it with better thinking.
At ChoiceScripts, we choose the second every time. We understand that real innovation doesn’t always come with the bells and whistles, but it does come with something vastly more important. And that is meaningful shifts that drive real outcomes.
Final Thoughts
If you’re early in your career, don’t just aim to be good at your job or a “yes” person. Ask the questions that others are afraid to ask. Point out the flaws in the system, and then be prepared to help come up with a solution. If you’re mid-career and feeling stagnant, ask yourself what comfort is costing you.
Disruption doesn’t have to be chaotic. When it’s backed by purpose and executed with integrity, it becomes the most powerful tool we have to move our industry and our careers forward.
The pharmacy benefit space needs more builders, challengers, and yes, disruptors. If you’re ready to be one of them, stop waiting for change. Go out and make it happen.