I firmly believe that you are the one responsible for where you are in your career today. Whether you love your current position or feel stuck and unfulfilled—that’s on you.
Why do I think so?
Because your career is the sum and the result of your experience, decisions, and connections which you’ve made so far. It all adds up. These experiences have built your own unique situation up until now and you are the one to steer it to the right direction further.
Experience
You gain experience by applying knowledge in real-life situations. If you’re telling people how to “cook potatoes“, you should have at least cooked them yourself. Sorry, but I don’t trust theory—I trust actual experience.
This is especially true for leaders. Leadership and management are learned through practice, not theory. If you care about your career, I strongly advise you to seek hands-on experience and make it as diverse as possible. The broader your experience, the stronger your expertise.
Decisions
If you don’t like where you are in your career, you have two choices:
✅ Do something about it.
❌ Stay where you are and complain about life, bosses, companies, or circumstances.
Unfortunately, most people choose the latter, blaming external factors (market conditions, bosses, companies etc) instead of taking action. But here’s a hard truth I learned early on:
No One Cares About Your Career Development More Than You Do.
When I started in project management, I took full ownership of where I wanted to be, as well as saying firm No to situations and positions whree I did NOT want to be. If I wasn’t getting the growth opportunities I needed, I didn’t wait for someone to hand them to me—I went out and found them. If I had relied on others, their timelines, permissions, or opportunities, I’d probably still be waiting.
A Personal Example
I once had a well-paid job with a small team. No major challenges, no big expectations from management, no business development—just steady, easy-going work.
Most people told me:
“Ana, relax. You’re getting good money. No need to push yourself. Enjoy life and focus on personal projects.”
But I thought differently.
My train of thought was as following. At some point, that project would end, and I’d have to look for new opportunities. When that time came, what would I have to offer? What skills would I have developed?
This is where decisions matter. Every choice you make contributes to your future success—or holds you back. I feel it is important to look at how your decisions may impact your life in a long run.
By the way, I really like this blog post of James Clear (the Author of “Atomic Habits”) on decisions, check it here 👉.
Connections
In his book Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life, Arnold Schwarzenegger made a great point—he never wanted to be called a “self-made man” because, in reality, no one is truly self-made.
Success is not a solo journey. We all rely on connections—people who open doors, offer support, and create opportunities. Yes, it’s up to us to seize those opportunities, but at the end of the day, the people around us play a major role in our growth.
That’s why networking matters. Investing in relationships, socializing, and building long-term connections isn’t just about being friendly—it’s about setting yourself up for future success. You never know who might be the key to your next big career move.
Final Thoughts
Your career is in your hands. Your experience, your decisions, and your connections will shape your future. So take ownership, invest in yourself, and make choices that move you forward.
If you’d like to explore a bit more on leadership and leadership career, I believe this book is worth checking: “The Leadership Skills Handbook, 50 essential skills you need to be a leader” by Jo Owen.
I fully agree. That hits especially close to my heart as your opinion has a lot in common with teachings of the stoics. At the end of the day the only thing that matters is what is in your control. And still – so many people complain about their career, while not doing anything about it 🙂