#motivation-and-career-decisions
#motivation-and-career-decisions

It took me until 37 to realize that almost all successful people let go of these 7 habits, but average performers keep clinging to them - Silicon Canals

Successful people abandon habits that keep others stuck, focusing instead on effectiveness and prioritizing their time.

21 minutes ago

I'm 66 and I finally realized that I've spent my entire adult life chasing a version of success that my father defined in dollar amounts and job titles - and the reason I feel so empty now isn't because I failed, it's because I succeeded at building someone else's dream and called it mine - Silicon Canals

Chasing someone else's definition of success leads to emptiness and unfulfillment.

Psychology says people who grew up poor and became successful often can't fully enjoy it - not because they're ungrateful, but because some part of them never stopped waiting for it to disappear - Silicon Canals

Successful individuals often struggle with feelings of scarcity and anxiety about their financial stability, despite their achievements.

Why your successful life doesn't leave you fulfilled

Success is subjective; many feel unfulfilled despite achievements due to societal comparisons and not pursuing personal desires.

It took me until 37 to realize that almost all successful people let go of these 7 habits, but average performers keep clinging to them - Silicon Canals

Successful people abandon habits that keep others stuck, focusing instead on effectiveness and prioritizing their time.

21 minutes ago

I'm 66 and I finally realized that I've spent my entire adult life chasing a version of success that my father defined in dollar amounts and job titles - and the reason I feel so empty now isn't because I failed, it's because I succeeded at building someone else's dream and called it mine - Silicon Canals

Chasing someone else's definition of success leads to emptiness and unfulfillment.

Psychology says people who grew up poor and became successful often can't fully enjoy it - not because they're ungrateful, but because some part of them never stopped waiting for it to disappear - Silicon Canals

Successful individuals often struggle with feelings of scarcity and anxiety about their financial stability, despite their achievements.

Why your successful life doesn't leave you fulfilled

Success is subjective; many feel unfulfilled despite achievements due to societal comparisons and not pursuing personal desires.

more#success

fromHyperallergic

Nine Lessons on My Path From Engagement to Leadership

Curiosity is foundational in the arts, as demonstrated by the Menil Collection's exhibition, which transformed a gallery into an education room through public programs.

Arts

9 things people who command respect at work do that have nothing to do with their title or seniority - Silicon Canals

Respect at work is earned through listening and accountability, not through titles or positions.

What to do after a life-defining mistake

The only thing worse than making a mistake is keeping it bottled up inside. Learning from the mistakes of others could help you embark on the healing journey of sharing and working through a mistake of your own, with someone you trust.

Books

I spent a decade building a career I thought I wanted, a house I thought I needed, and a persona I thought would finally make me real - and one Saturday morning over coffee I sat with the quiet certainty that I had built all of it for someone who no longer lived inside me - Silicon Canals

Building a life based on societal expectations can lead to a personal crisis when the facade becomes unsustainable.

6 hours ago

Psychology says people who feel like they've been living someone else's life aren't confused or ungrateful - they're often the ones who were so good at adapting in childhood that they never stopped adapting long enough to find out who they actually were - Silicon Canals

Adapting to others' needs in childhood can lead to feeling disconnected and lost in adulthood.

Retirement

I spent a decade building a career I thought I wanted, a house I thought I needed, and a persona I thought would finally make me real - and one Saturday morning over coffee I sat with the quiet certainty that I had built all of it for someone who no longer lived inside me - Silicon Canals

Building a life based on societal expectations can lead to a personal crisis when the facade becomes unsustainable.

6 hours ago

Psychology says people who feel like they've been living someone else's life aren't confused or ungrateful - they're often the ones who were so good at adapting in childhood that they never stopped adapting long enough to find out who they actually were - Silicon Canals

Adapting to others' needs in childhood can lead to feeling disconnected and lost in adulthood.

How to Treat Your Successes Like Renewable Resources

Success can create pressure and lead to misaligned goals for entrepreneurs, making them feel obligated rather than fulfilled.

Online learning

fromeLearning Industry

8 hours ago

Continuous Learning Cultures: What High Performing Organizations Do Differently

Organizations must adopt a continuous learning culture to keep pace with rapid changes in technology and evolving job roles.

Business

Your CEO gives you the ick. Now what?

Emily's perception of her CEO's integrity is compromised after discovering his affair, affecting her confidence in promoting company values.

Writing

1 hour ago

I'm 66 and the most important relationship of my adult life has been with solitude - not as a consolation for the company I didn't have, but as the place where I have always been most honest, most creative, and most recognizably myself, and I spent too many years being embarrassed about that before I understood it was simply how I was built - Silicon Canals

Solitude allows for self-discovery and personal reflection, free from societal expectations and external pressures.

2 hours ago

I'm 34 and have always struggled to maintain close friendships - and the most uncomfortable thing I have ever admitted to myself is that I have been the one who made them hard to maintain, not through cruelty or carelessness but through a consistent and barely conscious tendency to keep just enough distance that nobody could ever get close enough to disappoint me - Silicon Canals

Sabotaging friendships by maintaining surface-level connections prevents deeper relationships and emotional intimacy.

Fundraising

How giving starts progress and leadership scales it

Volatility and accountability are transforming philanthropy, requiring leadership to drive impactful change.

Psychology says the most important life lesson isn't learning to make better decisions - it's learning to live peacefully with the ones you can't undo - Silicon Canals

Irreversible choices shape our lives and learning to coexist with them is crucial for mental well-being.

fromInfoQ

Hidden Decisions You Don't Know You're Making

Decision-making is a fundamental aspect of work and life, influencing culture, relationships, and future choices.

Psychology says the most important life lesson isn't learning to make better decisions - it's learning to live peacefully with the ones you can't undo - Silicon Canals

Irreversible choices shape our lives and learning to coexist with them is crucial for mental well-being.

fromInfoQ

Hidden Decisions You Don't Know You're Making

Decision-making is a fundamental aspect of work and life, influencing culture, relationships, and future choices.

The people who look most successful on the outside often have no idea what they're doing - they just learned early that confidence and competence look identical from a distance - Silicon Canals

The gap between perceived success and actual competence is significant, often leading to overconfidence in those with limited knowledge.

Exercise

Building Confidence Through Small Victories

Naming tasks and completing small actions can rebuild confidence after significant loss.

Growth hacking

The people who look most successful on the outside often have no idea what they're doing - they just learned early that confidence and competence look identical from a distance - Silicon Canals

The gap between perceived success and actual competence is significant, often leading to overconfidence in those with limited knowledge.

Exercise

Building Confidence Through Small Victories

Naming tasks and completing small actions can rebuild confidence after significant loss.

Many productivity programs solve the wrong problem. This is what leaders should do instead

Organizations face work design problems rather than productivity issues, leading to temporary solutions that fail to address underlying conflicts in problem-solving approaches.

Are you making this common productivity mistake?

Overwhelmed professionals often mistake organizing for productivity, leading to reduced performance despite increased activity.

Many productivity programs solve the wrong problem. This is what leaders should do instead

Organizations face work design problems rather than productivity issues, leading to temporary solutions that fail to address underlying conflicts in problem-solving approaches.

Are you making this common productivity mistake?

Overwhelmed professionals often mistake organizing for productivity, leading to reduced performance despite increased activity.

How procrastination can rob you of career fulfilment in science

Procrastination is linked to the cult of work, where identity is tied to productivity and work becomes a sacred duty.

15 hours ago

Psychology says adults who struggle with procrastination aren't avoiding the task - they're avoiding the version of themselves who might fail at it - Silicon Canals

Procrastination often stems from a fear of failure rather than laziness or poor time management.

Careers

7 Ways to Get Started When You Can't "Just Do It"

Philosophy

fromNature

How procrastination can rob you of career fulfilment in science

Procrastination is linked to the cult of work, where identity is tied to productivity and work becomes a sacred duty.

15 hours ago

Psychology says adults who struggle with procrastination aren't avoiding the task - they're avoiding the version of themselves who might fail at it - Silicon Canals

Procrastination often stems from a fear of failure rather than laziness or poor time management.

7 Ways to Get Started When You Can't "Just Do It"

Procrastination can stem from a lack of motivation, and self-reflection may help identify personal barriers to achieving goals.

3 Keys to Optimal Living in the Second Half of Life

Positive views of aging and a sense of purpose enhance vitality and well-being in later life.

Remote teams

fromInfoQ

How to Handle Trusts and Psychological Safety When Scaling Organizations

Trust must be built team by team; it cannot be replicated as organizations scale.

Artificial intelligence

How to Draw the Line Between AI Insights and Human Decisions

High-performance teams leverage clear ownership and decision velocity to enhance AI-informed decision-making in competitive environments.

Marketing tech

fromMarTech

As AI does more of the work, are we building the right leaders? | MarTech

AI is transforming marketing analysis but may obscure foundational issues that affect decision-making.

Graphic design

fromItsnicethat

in 1 week

"You may need to step down in order to segue"

A degree is not necessary to become a designer; understanding fundamentals and tools is essential.

Some people don't fear failure. They fear succeeding and then being expected to sustain it, because the version of them that achieved it was running on adrenaline and desperation, and the person who shows up on Monday is someone quieter who doesn't know how to replicate what the emergency produced. - Silicon Canals

The fear of success stems from the pressure to replicate high performance, not from a desire to avoid good outcomes.

Women

Success Without Burnout

Sustainable success prioritizes health, energy, and relationships over traditional metrics of achievement.

How to Retrain Your Brain to See Challenges as Opportunities

Avoiding problems creates new challenges that must be faced later.

Relationships

The most liberating thing you can learn after 40 is that 'because I don't want to' is a complete and legitimate reason - not an opening argument - Silicon Canals

How to Retrain Your Brain to See Challenges as Opportunities

Avoiding problems creates new challenges that must be faced later.

The most liberating thing you can learn after 40 is that 'because I don't want to' is a complete and legitimate reason - not an opening argument - Silicon Canals

Saying 'no' without justification can lead to a more fulfilling life.

The busiest leaders share this surprising weakness

Constant busyness at work deteriorates personal relationships and collaboration, ultimately undermining high performance.

Writing

The unexpected childhood activity that predicted my career path

A childhood fascination with weddings evolved into a career in wedding planning, driven by a desire to streamline chaotic logistics.

Remote teams

Many Employees Are Complaining That Work Has Been 'Stripped of Fun' - Here's Why

Employee morale is declining as companies cut perks and increase workloads with AI.

How (and why) to give your team time to think

Teams are optimized for activity over creativity, leading to a lack of innovative breakthroughs.

Not everyone who avoids asking for help is proud. Some of them asked once, received it with a lecture attached, and learned that the cost of support was a small erosion of standing they could never quite earn back. - Silicon Canals

Asking for help can lead to unintended consequences that affect relationships and self-perception.

3 hours ago

I'm 37 and the friendships in my life that have lasted are the ones where we stopped pretending - stopped curating what we showed each other, stopped performing the version of our lives that made sense on paper - and what replaced the pretending is the best thing I have built in the last decade - Silicon Canals

Authentic friendships emerge when individuals drop their facades and share their true struggles with each other.

Women in technology

How to Be Seen for the Work You Actually Want to Be Doing

Opportunities depend on strategic visibility, ensuring work is seen and valued, rather than solely on consistent performance and effort.

I retired at 64 with a generous pension and a calendar full of plans - and by month three I was staring at my phone realizing I had nobody to call just to talk, not because I needed something - Silicon Canals

Retirement can lead to unexpected loneliness and a realization of the lack of genuine friendships built outside of work.

fromHarvard Business Review

Psychology suggests people who stay calm during conflict aren't less emotional - they learned early that the person who controls the temperature of the room controls the outcome, and they stopped reacting and started choosing - Silicon Canals

Controlling emotional responses during conflict can significantly influence the outcome of the situation.

#management

Careers

When You're Worn Down-and Your Team Is Too

5 days ago

17 ideas on coaching new managers

Not every employee should move to management; coaching individual contributors is essential for their growth and success.

fromHarvard Business Review

When You're Worn Down-and Your Team Is Too

Joy in management is about finding deep satisfaction and fostering meaningful connections, not just fleeting happiness.

5 days ago

17 ideas on coaching new managers

Not every employee should move to management; coaching individual contributors is essential for their growth and success.

Why You Can't Afford to Let Up if You Want to Grow

Momentum compounds; consistent action creates opportunities that disappear when standing still.

fromApaonline

How to Walk Away

Breakups can make you depressed and even damage your heart and immune system. Being the one who says 'it's over' can be torturous, especially if you're hurting someone you still care deeply about.

Philosophy

3 hours ago

When the Body Heals: Recovery From Relational Stress

Emotional stressors can lead to chronic stress, affecting immunity and increasing autoimmune disease risk, but healing can occur after relational stress ends.

I'm 66 and I finally learned the hardest lesson isn't that people will disappoint you - it's that you'll disappoint yourself by pretending you don't need what you need until you forget what that even was - Silicon Canals

Neglecting emotional needs leads to a profound sense of loss and disconnection from oneself and others.

fromSlate Magazine

My New Boss Has Some Unfortunate Corporate Mannerisms. I'm Having an Involuntary Reaction to It.

Corporate-speak can create barriers in communication, leading to feelings of condescension and stress in workplace relationships.

The difference between people who actually change their lives and people who just talk about it almost always comes down to what they do in the first 90 seconds after waking up - Silicon Canals

The first 90 seconds after waking significantly influence the rest of the day, often leading to reactive behavior if not managed properly.

2 hours ago

Psychology says people who slowly become unpleasant to be around as they get older didn't develop new flaws - they lost the motivation to manage the old ones, and the management, it turns out, was doing considerably more work than anyone around them understood while it was still running - Silicon Canals

People don't become worse with age; they simply stop managing their flaws as their energy to do so diminishes.

5 days ago

7 Lessons for When Your Attempts to Control Outcomes Fail

Many situations contain irreducible uncertainty. No matter how many variables we try to control, we can't reduce uncertainty to zero. It's inherent in the messiness of life.

Productivity

Start Strong But Never Finish? 4 Causes and 4 Solutions

Starting strong and quitting is common due to tedium, poor planning, and discouragement; recognizing patterns and seeking support can help overcome this.

The Surprising Psychology of Being First or Last

Rank affects motivation, with top and bottom performers increasing effort, while mid-ranking individuals often disengage.

Start Strong But Never Finish? 4 Causes and 4 Solutions

Starting strong and quitting is common due to tedium, poor planning, and discouragement; recognizing patterns and seeking support can help overcome this.

The Surprising Psychology of Being First or Last

Rank affects motivation, with top and bottom performers increasing effort, while mid-ranking individuals often disengage.

Why the best employees often carry the heaviest burden

The capability curse leads to increased expectations and reliance on capable individuals, often resulting in a heavier burden for them over time.

I'm 37 and I realized I wasn't actually a good person the day my wife said "you're kind to strangers and cruel to the people closest to you" - and the worst part wasn't the accusation, it was that I couldn't argue because I'd been using up all my patience on people who didn't matter and coming home empty - Silicon Canals

Kindness should be abundant at home, not rationed for public interactions, to foster authentic connections with loved ones.

What Are Young People's Most Important Life Goals?

Life History Theory emphasizes the tradeoffs individuals make in allocating energy to survival, growth, and reproduction, highlighting the competitive nature of energy acquisition.

Psychology

What Does Mental Well-Being Look Like?

Mental health should be viewed positively, focusing on well-being rather than just the absence of illness.

fromHarvard Business Review

When Executive Presence Backfires

Executive presence is essential for senior leaders, characterized by confidence and decisiveness, influencing career advancement and performance evaluations.

Falling in Love With a Mirror

AI can create an illusion of intimacy but often reinforces existing beliefs without genuine emotional connection.

3 hours ago

The Gifted but Entitled Perfectionist

Shifting from entitlement to gratitude enhances productivity and personal responsibility in developing talent.

I recently understood that the tiredness I had been blaming on everything else - the job, the age, the schedule, the season - was not tiredness at all, it was the specific and sustained effort of living a life that wasn't quite mine, and the moment I understood that the exhaustion had a name it became possible, for the first time, to do something about it - Silicon Canals

Exhaustion often stems from emotional labor and the effort to maintain a false persona rather than physical demands of work.

#career-development

Careers

Create Your Unicorn Career, Explore the Multiverse

5 Career Myths Standing Between You and Your Next Level

Nonlinear careers foster adaptable skillsets and personal growth more effectively than traditional career paths.

Create Your Unicorn Career, Explore the Multiverse

Harness your superpowers and embrace infinite opportunities to create a fulfilling career.

5 Career Myths Standing Between You and Your Next Level

Nonlinear careers foster adaptable skillsets and personal growth more effectively than traditional career paths.

more#career-development

Teaching Executives to Shed Trauma Responses

Stress and burnout are increasing in the workforce, exacerbated by past trauma affecting employee behavior and productivity.

Are you micromanaging yourself out of a job?

Leadership transitions can lead to disengagement and escalation cultures, costing organizations significantly despite initial appearances of productivity.

Psychology

Yes, it's possible to lead without dominating. Here's how

Modern leadership requires balancing authority with openness, fostering shared ownership while delivering results, and avoiding the pitfalls of dominance.

Are you micromanaging yourself out of a job?

Leadership transitions can lead to disengagement and escalation cultures, costing organizations significantly despite initial appearances of productivity.

Yes, it's possible to lead without dominating. Here's how

Modern leadership requires balancing authority with openness, fostering shared ownership while delivering results, and avoiding the pitfalls of dominance.

How to Help Someone Have an Empathy Makeover

Empathy can be developed through structured reflection and practice, enhancing mental health and relationship dynamics.

The Pitfalls of Being a People-Pleaser

Voicing opinions is essential; people-pleasing can lead to neglecting personal needs and preferences.

Burnt-out managers are destroying teams. These 5 daily habits reverse it

Burnout among managers is prevalent, but resilience can be built through specific daily habits, including openly practicing self-care.

Psychology says people who feel successful at 50 aren't the ones who achieved the most - they're the ones who stopped measuring their worth against an imaginary scoreboard they inherited at 23 - Silicon Canals

Measuring worth against inherited societal scorecards leads to disappointment and a distorted sense of success.

Psychology says if you want your 70s to be the best years of your life you have to stop doing something most people don't quit until it's too late - and the quitting isn't dramatic, it's just the daily decision to stop measuring yourself by a standard that was always someone else's and never actually yours - Silicon Canals

Measuring worth by external standards leads to dissatisfaction; true value comes from personal fulfillment, not societal expectations.

Psychology says people who feel successful at 50 aren't the ones who achieved the most - they're the ones who stopped measuring their worth against an imaginary scoreboard they inherited at 23 - Silicon Canals

Measuring worth against inherited societal scorecards leads to disappointment and a distorted sense of success.

Psychology says if you want your 70s to be the best years of your life you have to stop doing something most people don't quit until it's too late - and the quitting isn't dramatic, it's just the daily decision to stop measuring yourself by a standard that was always someone else's and never actually yours - Silicon Canals

Measuring worth by external standards leads to dissatisfaction; true value comes from personal fulfillment, not societal expectations.

Psychology says people who apologize constantly without realizing it are more damaged than they appear - because they internalize blame and absorb conflict, a survival response from childhood, which never switches off even when they're safe - Silicon Canals

Excessive apologizing often stems from childhood experiences of mistreatment and can lead to chronic self-blame in adulthood.

There's a specific kind of loyalty that keeps people in jobs, cities, and friendships years after the reason they stayed has disappeared. It's not inertia. It's that leaving would require admitting the time already spent wasn't building toward something, and that admission costs more than staying another year. - Silicon Canals

People remain in unfulfilling situations due to the fear of admitting past investments were unproductive, not because of passivity or fear of change.

3 weeks ago

Creating Our Own Luck: 4 Ideas for Taking Decisive Action

Deliberate, persistent action combined with positive mindset, preparation, and problem-solving creates personal luck and destiny rather than relying on superstition.

Your Team Doesn't Need a 'Work Family' - It Needs This System That Holds Up When It Counts

Teams struggle with clarity, not effort; accountability erodes when support blurs lines between family and business.

fromwww.theguardian.com

Overthinking is rarely an advantage | Letter

Overthinkers can find relief and joy through proper diagnosis and treatment for anxiety, leading to a more fulfilling life.

Would you leave a six-figure salary for a new career? Meet the people who followed their dreams and never looked back

Individuals leaving stable tech and teaching jobs for creative paths express no regrets despite earning less.

Startup companies

Are you 'grounded' or in a rut in your career? 'Stable' or stuck?

fromIndependent

Would you leave a six-figure salary for a new career? Meet the people who followed their dreams and never looked back

Individuals leaving stable tech and teaching jobs for creative paths express no regrets despite earning less.

Startup companies

Are you 'grounded' or in a rut in your career? 'Stable' or stuck?

I'm 34 and I just realized I've been performing competence at work for seven years because somewhere along the way I confused being impressive with being safe, and the exhaustion I thought was burnout was actually the weight of never once letting anyone see me learn something for the first time. - Silicon Canals

Performing competence can lead to self-erasure and social rewards, masking genuine capability with a polished exterior.

#career-advancement

Careers

Always the Fixer, Never the Leader?

Want a promotion? Ask yourself these three questions

Timing and readiness are crucial for successfully pursuing a promotion.

fromwww.businessinsider.com

The 5 most important work relationships you should prioritize for career growth besides your boss

Career advancement relies on a network of relationships, not just on a single boss's support.

Always the Fixer, Never the Leader?

Dependability can hinder career advancement by making individuals indispensable but not seen as leaders.

Want a promotion? Ask yourself these three questions

Timing and readiness are crucial for successfully pursuing a promotion.

fromwww.businessinsider.com

The 5 most important work relationships you should prioritize for career growth besides your boss

Career advancement relies on a network of relationships, not just on a single boss's support.

more#career-advancement

How to Create Your "Unicorn Career"

Create Your Unicorn Career for joy, meaning, and financial success, even in uncertain times.

Misreading Success: Life's Most Underrated Virtue

Humility is an underrated virtue that can significantly influence success, contrasting with overconfidence seen in figures like Jesse Livermore.

There's a particular kind of strength that belongs to people who rebuilt their entire personality after 40 - not because something broke them, but because they finally had enough distance from their childhood to see what was never theirs to carry - Silicon Canals

Personality changes after forty often reflect a deeper honesty about one's true self rather than a crisis or breakdown.

Venture

fromBig Think

How to be a great mentor in business and life

Sustained, hands-on mentorship—long conversations, shared reading, and repeated guidance—is essential for developing mastery despite convenience of AI tools.

I used to be unhappy and I blamed everything around me - until I realized I'd built an entire life around avoiding the one conversation I needed to have with myself - Silicon Canals

Unhappiness often stems from avoiding self-reflection and attributing life issues to external factors rather than personal choices.

Why You Struggle with Follow-Through (Even When You Care)

Difficulty with follow-through is linked to personality patterns rather than a lack of motivation.

1 month ago

Psychology

How your personality impacts your career success (and what you can do about it)

Five universal traits—emotional stability, extraversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness—predict career outcomes and can be reliably measured by multiple methods.

6 days ago

Why You Struggle with Follow-Through (Even When You Care)

Difficulty with follow-through is linked to personality patterns rather than a lack of motivation.

1 month ago

Psychology

How your personality impacts your career success (and what you can do about it)

How leaders and managers can befriend their inner critic and get ahead at work

Befriending your inner critic can lead to better decision-making and improved leadership skills.

How to grow at work when your manager won't give you feedback

Senior leaders receive less feedback than early-career employees due to authority bias and organizational hierarchy, requiring proactive strategies to solicit advice and create psychological safety.

Writing

fromThe Atlantic

The Upside of Professional Rejection

Reframing professional rejection from final failure to provocation or opportunity can shorten hurt and energize renewed efforts.

1 month ago

Bouncing Back From Professional Setbacks

Steady employment provides purpose, identity, social support, and investment; effective recovery from career setbacks requires objective analysis, trusted feedback, and deliberate regrouping.

How to Get Unstuck

Whether it's something personal like physical fitness, or something professional like finding a new job, we all get stuck from time to time. And once you do, the ability to pull out of that place and take productive steps forward can be incredibly hard. At the same time, once you get moving again (physically or otherwise) that same inertia can keep you going, even when there are lots of obstacles standing in your way.

Careers

fromSlate Magazine

For Years, the Next Step of My Career Has Felt Impossible to Reach. I'm Afraid of the Reasons Why.

Reapply for the assistant manager positions and disclose the prior interview while emphasizing professional growth to improve your chances.

fromTerrible Software