If you're in a job that feels safe, you are not going to get exceptional, because if there is no danger, there... — Paul Graham

If you're in a job that feels safe, you are not going to get exceptional, because if there is no danger, there is almost certainly no leverage.

Author: Paul Graham

Insight: There is a specific kind of quiet anxiety that comes with perfect stability. You know exactly what next month looks like, and the year after that, but that predictability is exactly what caps your growth. When every edge is smoothed out and every risk is managed by someone else, you lose the ability to move the needle on your own life. We often chase security thinking it will free us, but it usually just trades potential chaos for guaranteed mediocrity. The real trick is understanding that danger isn't the enemy of progress, it is the fuel. Leverage only exists where outcomes are uncertain, because that uncertainty means your effort can actually compound into something massive. If you remove the possibility of failure, you automatically remove the possibility of breakthrough. The surprising truth is that the safest-looking path is often the most fragile one, because when the world finally shifts, you haven't built the muscles to handle the weight.

Source: Essays, How to Do Great Work