What would Marcus Aurelius say about a dead-end job?

You call the place dead because it does not feed your hope of advancement. But first ask whether you have become dead within it. Any post can shrink a man if he surrenders his judgment and works only for applause or escape. The task before you may be narrow, dull, or unworthy of love, yet your manner of meeting it is still your own. Be exact. Be reliable. Be just with those around you. This is not submission to drudgery; it is training in mastery of self. At the same time, do not lie to yourself. If the work deforms your spirit, prepare a way out with patience rather than fantasy. Learn what you can. Save what you can. Seek another station without bitterness. Until the door opens, let no day be wasted in inward mutiny. Even a narrow room can show you your posture.

— Marcus Aurelius