Should I Stay or Should I Go is a song by the English punk rock band The Clash from their album Combat Rock. It was written in 1981 and featured Mick Jones on lead vocals. These exact words have arisen during many coaching conversations. Variations include- Do I apply for another position within my company? Should I look externally for another opportunity? Should I quit and focus all my efforts on finding a job? I have been out of the workforce for X years; can I reenter? 

Should I stay or should I go now?
Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go there will be trouble
And if I stay it will be double
So come on and let me know

This indecision’s buggin’ me
If you don’t want me, set me free
Exactly whom I’m supposed to be
Don’t you know which clothes even fit me?
Come on and let me know
Should I stay or should I go now?

You are the best person equipped to make this decision. It is excellent to solicit feedback and guidance from trusted friends, family, and mentors, however, you know yourself best.

If you go there will be trouble, and if you stay there will be double. The line to the song suggests that leaving your current situation is the right decision; maybe it is, perhaps it isn’t. Somebody can use a T chart to compare and contrast two things, to list advantages and disadvantages. In addition to comparing which list is longer, some of the items on the list might have to be weighted. For example, I would have loved to pursue my desire to help others by launching my own coaching business. The advantages and fulfillment of being an entrepreneur were longer on the list than the advantages of staying in a corporate setting. However, the financial demands of supporting a family of five with college on the horizon for three teenage boys necessitated that financial stability be weighted heavier on my stay list. Hence I decided to stay, and there wasn’t double the trouble. And when the situation changed, I was able to go.