Spider, Spider, on the Mirror: Who Is the Most Toxic of Them All

I'm sharing a piece inspired by a fellow HN member who asked what to do when dealing with a bad manager. IMHO, and from someone who's lived this, unless you're a founding member, it's best to start quietly looking for another job. No matter how much you try to convince yourself otherwise, a toxic environment will always hold you back from your full potential. Been there, done that, and never looked back.

TL;DR: A tiny spider kept rebuilding its web on my car mirror, only for the wind to destroy it every day. Watching it became a metaphor for staying in toxic environments and calling it "resilience."

We often mistake endurance for progress. Like the spider, we keep rebuilding in places(workplaces, relationships, or online spaces) that are tearing us down or, at very least, holding us back, believing endurance equals strength. True resilience is knowing when to stop rebuilding and move somewhere healthier.