THE JOBS REPORT SAYS WE’RE ‘STABLE’—BUT WHAT IF STABILITY ISN’T ENOUGH?

The latest U.S. jobs report paints a picture of economic steadiness. With 143,000 new jobs added and the unemployment rate dropping to 4%, there’s good reason to celebrate. Wage growth is steady, and for many, this signals a strong labor market. Stability is an easier sell during uncertain times, and we’ve built a comfort zone around trends like these, reassuring ourselves that stability means progress.

But here’s the hard truth: stability can mask stagnation.

As businesses and professionals, it’s tempting to celebrate a solid status quo. But what if that sense of steadiness is quietly stifling growth? Real progress—momentum—isn’t found in simply holding the line. It’s created when stability becomes a platform, not a final destination.

This is where many organizations fall short. Instead of designing forward motion, they rely on stability as proof of success.

But I’m here to challenge this assumption: stability is not momentum—it’s a springboard to something bigger. And if we’re not deliberate about translating stability into forward motion, we risk being left behind.

Stability Does Not Equal Optimal Performance

Let’s break this down. The jobs report highlights a slower pace of growth—143,000 new jobs compared to December’s revised 307,000—but also notes areas of improvement, like falling unemployment and increasing wages. At first glance, this balance feels like progress.

And to some degree, it is: stability provides the foundation for us to build upon. But let’s zoom out:

• Are companies using this stability to prepare for future challenges?
• Are employees moving beyond "just getting by" and finding meaningful, value-driven engagement in their work?
• Is leadership leveraging steady times to innovate, train, and create opportunities that align with long-term goals?

For many businesses, the answer is no. Stability becomes an excuse to coast instead of prepare. Sure, things are working fine now, but what systems are being designed to carry us through the inevitable disruptions?

This same inertia can take root in individual careers as well. If you’ve achieved a "stable" spot on the ladder of success—steady job, decent salary, clear deliverables—it’s easy to think you’ve arrived. But have you really reached your potential, or are you stuck in a comfortable but uninspired routine?

The Ripple Effect of Stagnation

The cost of complacency is steep. Organizations that settle for stability risk the following:

1. Lost Innovation: Stability encourages routines and maintains the status quo, while growth demands creativity and experimentation. Businesses resistant to innovation (even during stable periods) will face significant losses when external challenges arise.
2. Employee Disengagement: When stability breeds monotony, employees inevitably disengage. If work feels stagnant, even competitive wages won’t be enough to maintain loyalty or retention. The pressing question for leaders becomes: Are you designing roles for momentum or merely sustaining the bare minimum?
3. Missed Opportunity: Steady periods are ripe for reinvention and preparation—but if leadership isn’t actively seizing this moment, they risk being sideswiped by future challenges. Markets shift, technologies evolve, and competitors aren’t waiting for you to wake up.

Organizations and individuals alike need to reframe stability as a starting point, not an endpoint. The jobs report gives us a chance to reflect: what are you building on this foundation?

Momentum Means Designing for the Future, Right Now

In my upcoming book, Designing Momentum, I talk about the danger of waiting for "perfect conditions" before moving forward. Too often, we associate progress with dramatic leaps—launching new initiatives, securing a major promotion, or waiting for external change to force our hand.

But that’s not what real momentum looks like. Momentum is built incrementally—one small, deliberate action at a time. Stability allows you the breathing room to design the future carefully and intentionally.

The problem lies in how easily we let stability lull us into passivity. We wait, assuming stability means "everything is fine," when in reality, it’s the perfect moment to chart the next course.

So, how do we stop settling for stability, and instead harness it to create momentum?

What Business Leaders Can Do

If you’re a leader, this is your call to action: stability is the chance to build, grow, and energize your team for sustained success. Here are three ways to turn a stable workforce into a momentum-driven one:

1. Use Stability to Upskill, Not Plateau: Employees thrive when they believe they’re growing. In stable times, focus on equipping your workforce with new skills, tools, and opportunities. Lean into proactive learning programs, mentorship offerings, or stretch projects. Don’t just maintain the status quo—create a work environment that excites your team to push boundaries.
2. Reinvent Routine Roles: Stability often means employees fall into repetitive tasks, which can disengage even your most committed workers. Redesign roles intentionally: empower employees to think critically, own their decisions, and create impact. Employees who feel trusted and purposeful won’t bail when things get tough.
3. Cultivate Micro-Wins: Forget waiting for the next "big moment"—momentum is built on small, actionable wins. Allow your team to claim ownership of daily victories, whether that’s solving a complex challenge, finding a new way to serve clients, or generating process improvements. These moments of ownership generate excitement and forward motion.

What Professionals Can Do

For individuals, stability in your career is a gift—don’t waste it. Here’s how to make the most of it:

1. Audit Your Goals: Are you coasting, or are you building something meaningful? Stability lets you reflect without the chaos of crisis. Use this time to examine your goals and recalibrate. Are you growing a skill set? Networking within your field? Aligning your efforts with long-term ambitions? Now’s the time to act.
2. Create Your Own Opportunities: Don’t wait for leadership, clients, or colleagues to give you new challenges. Design them for yourself. Offer to tackle a stretch project, identify inefficiencies in your workflow, or even lay the groundwork for a potential promotion.
3. Focus on Values Over Comfort: Stability can often be confused with success, but are you fulfilled by what you’re doing? Use this time to align your work with your personal values. When the future is unpredictable, it’s your values that sustain you.

Turning Stability Into the Next Big Step

The latest jobs report offers hope—but also a wake-up call. Steady doesn’t mean vibrant. It’s not enough to tread water when there’s an opportunity to chart a new path.

In Designing Momentum, I talk about approaching every moment as an opportunity—not to maintain, but to propel. The key is this: momentum doesn’t come from waiting for disruption. It’s created by owning the present and actively designing a better tomorrow.

So the question I’ll leave you with is simple: Are you building something greater—or just staying steady?

Whether you’re leading a business or driving your own career, don’t let stability lull you into stagnation. The next breakthrough won’t come from waiting—it will come from the moments you create right now.