If I go it will be trouble. If I stay it will be double.. So you got to let me know…should I stay or should I go? So said the Clash in 1982 and then again to greater fanfare in a 1992 re-release. Now you know.

Kevin Mayer, CEO of TikTok, lit up the techo-sphere last week when he abruptly announced that he was peacing out from the company after only 3 months on the job. His statement: “I understand that the role that I signed up for — including running TikTok globally — will look very different as a result of the US Administration’s action to push for a sell off of the US business.”

It’s so tough to figure out when to stay or leave a role or a company. There are so many specificities and nuances that enter into each individual circumstance that make it really tough to apply a consistent framework. Sometimes you just know. Sometimes you get lucky. And sometimes you enter a geopolitical shit storm. Most of the time, it’s a combination of the first two.

Here are 5 checklist considerations that might serve you well when the Chinese & American governments get involved in your startup heroes journey:

1. Seek big challenges – taking on roles and challenges that are hard and will help you grow your career for the long haul. Doing creates experience. So whether that’s here or there, seek the biggest challenges accordingly
2. Work with smart people – when in doubt, try to compare the green of the grass against relative talent pools. What’s the saying? If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. Find a really smart group to go far with and half the battle of being successful is won
3. Beware title chasing – The “Head of” something sounds pretty good unless it’s the head of a whole lot of nothing. A rapidly growing industry leading franchise will give you the title you need over time if you’ve got the chops. Check consideration #1 and #2 before weighing a fancy pants new title
4. Resist rushing & time constraints – regardless of the pain and struggle of feeling stuck, your dream role shouldn’t be rushed…if possible. It’s got to feel right. You’ve got to stay a little while to experience the consequences of decisions. Rushing out of a bad situation into an “ok” situation is just going to take years off your life. Be patient…if possible. Unless of course Trump intervenes, then probably ok to just bail
5. Total benefits & compensation – weigh e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. The tangible and intangible. Is cash compensation that doesn’t change your standard of living worth moving for? How about a shorter commute and more time with your family instead? Or being able to work anywhere in the world? Or owning a bigger chunk of the company. That could be worth a change of scenery

At the end of the day, try to bet on yourself. Do the hard things – you don’t choose to go to the moon because it’s easy! The hardest lessons learned are the ones you learn yourself. Build a career super highway. With tolls and bridges and In-N-Out adorned rest stops. Keep growing, keep learning. Be bold and beware!