I feel trapped in my career and genuinely don't know what the next move is.

I've been in the FX/CFD brokerage industry for about 8 years.

I've worked my way through retention, VIP/HNW relationship management, institutional sales, business development, and strategic partnerships. On paper, my career looks solid. I've brought in clients, deposits, IBs, corporate accounts, and consistently hit targets.

But despite all that, I feel completely stuck.

The problem is that my experience is incredibly niche. Almost everything I've done revolves around brokerage sales. If I stay in the industry, I keep ending up in the same cycle: join a broker, build everything from scratch, bring in clients, hit volume targets, work endless hours, then eventually move to another broker because the role isn't really progressing.

The titles change, but the job doesn't.

The bigger issue is that leadership roles almost always require previous leadership experience. But how are you supposed to get leadership experience if nobody gives you the opportunity to lead?

I'm at a point where I don't even know what I should be aiming for anymore.

Do I stay in brokerage and keep hoping someone eventually gives me a Head of Sales or Country Manager opportunity?

Do I move into fintech?

Do I switch industries entirely and start over after spending almost a decade building expertise in one field?

To make things even more complicated, I'm based in Dubai. The market is extremely competitive, there's a huge emphasis on bringing your own book of business, and I've reached a point where I don't even know if I want to stay here anymore. I'm seriously considering relocating to Malaysia, Europe, or anywhere that offers a genuine long-term career path rather than another sales role with higher KPIs.

Financially, walking away isn't easy either. I've built my life around the income this industry provides. Starting over could mean taking a significant pay cut, but staying where I am feels like I'm standing still.

That's what makes this decision so difficult. Every option feels like a compromise:

• Stay, and risk feeling stuck for another five years.
• Leave the industry, and potentially throw away eight years of experience.
• Relocate, without knowing if the grass is actually greener.
• Hold out for a leadership role that may never come.

I'm honestly exhausted. I don't hate hard work. I actually enjoy building relationships and doing business. What I hate is feeling like I'm running on a treadmill. The effort keeps increasing, but my career doesn't seem to be moving forward.

Has anyone been in a similar position? If you were me, what would you do?

I'm looking for honest advice, even if it's something I don't want to hear.