Who You Gonna Call?

---

We can debate this if you would like, but arguably one of the best movie theme songs ever is the Ghostbusters theme song. In fact, I know that by the end of this article, you'll be singing it in your head and then be irritated with me by the end of the day that you can't shake it.

"When there's something strange in your neighborhood, who you gonna call...Ghostbusters!"

There it is, the movie theme song to end all movie theme songs.

Now, we can debate other theme songs, including but not limited to: Gonna Fly Now from Rocky, Danger Zone from Top Gun, the Mission Impossible Theme, the James Bond Theme (obviously), and My Heart Will Go On from Titanic (don't come at me). Of course, it all depends on your age, what your favorite movie is, and if you were making out with someone at the movie theatre when that theme song came on.

But I digress — the Ghostbusters theme song made over $20M in royalties, and continues to show up today in various forms.

That lyric, "Who you gonna call," just sticks in your head, and you repeat it over and over. Ghostbusters!

For some reason, I was reminded of these lyrics, and the concept of "who you gonna call," and now you've been subjected to me making the transition of, "When your career gets tough, and you're feeling lost, who you gonna call?"

In all seriousness, who are you going to call when things get tough, and you need support, and you want some comfort, or an ear to spare, or someone to bounce ideas with? Who is that person? Because if you don't have them, then you're missing out.

We all need people in life to call. During a crisis, during times of need, and during times when we just don't feel like being alone. We also need people when we're winning, to celebrate with, to keep us grounded, and to share in our success.

The mistake a lot of people make is thinking those relationships just show up when you need them, as if there is some emergency contact list that magically fills itself in when things go sideways. It does not work that way.

The people you can call in those moments are usually the same people you have invested time in when nothing was wrong, when there was no agenda, when you were simply showing up, listening, and building something real over time. That is the part nobody talks about, because it is not urgent, and it does not feel transactional, but it is the entire foundation.

If you take a step back and really think about it, most people are trying to solve career problems in isolation, sitting behind a screen, overanalyzing decisions, and convincing themselves they need more clarity before they take action. Meanwhile, the fastest way through almost any challenge is often a conversation. One honest conversation can cut through weeks of internal noise, can give you perspective you cannot create on your own, and can remind you that you are not the only one who has been in that spot before.

So the better question is not just who you are going to call when things get tough, but whether you are actively building a life where you have people worth calling in the first place. Are you reaching out when you do not need anything, are you investing in relationships that go beyond surface-level check-ins, and are you putting yourself in rooms where those kinds of connections can even exist? Because if you are not doing that, then you are leaving one of the most powerful career advantages on the table.

If you are sitting there right now realizing that your list is a little thin, that is not a reason to panic; it is just a signal. It is a signal to start reaching out, to reconnect, to put yourself in environments where conversations happen, and to stop waiting for the perfect moment to build your network. Because when that moment comes where things feel uncertain, overwhelming, or just plain hard, you do not want to be asking yourself who you are going to call. You want to already know.

Get This In Your Inbox Every Day

Daily articles on career, mindset, and growth. Subscribe on Patreon and get a fresh one delivered every morning.

Subscribe on Patreon

More Articles