5 Career-Killing Habits Of High Achievers.

career advancement
 

5 Career-Killing Habits Of High Achievers. 

It’s not a stretch that some of us may find ourselves in a position where going to work each day has become more robotic rather than fuelled by passion. 

This could be due to an overnight epiphany or a slow-burning weariness.

And is where high achievers can be at risk…

If you give so much of yourself to your workplace, go above and beyond to grow and develop but…

The results you were hoping for or striving for do not arrive! 

What you may not be aware of is... 

There could be certain behaviours at play that may be sabotaging your career, and those killers come FIVE fold...

And here is number ONE of the 5 career-killing habits of high achievers...


1. STOP Working Hard!

Yes, working hard may indeed be damaging your career growth.

There was probably a time in your career where you may have needed to work hard or maybe even wanted to do so…

Working extreme hours… always the first in and the last out.

But if you are like many of my clients who have been in their industries for fifteen years or more you don’t want to be doing that..? 

Yes, of course, you CAN be a workhorse if you want to but think about it... really..?

If you are a high achiever you’ve probably set the bar at an extreme level... 

And with this expectation, you push yourself above and beyond your limits to surpass that bar because of your sense of “obligation” to the company.  

One of the problems with an unrealistic outlook is that life happens…

Distractions, family, age! 

This high standard becomes a real battle…

In reaction to the struggle, you may push yourself harder and harder to try and maintain these standards and very soon…

frustration becomes a permanent fixture for you and as for burnout well that comes knocking on your door…

By keeping your focus on this bar and working crazy hours you will find yourself stuck in a vicious cycle

and those other talents and skills that you possess like leadership, strategy, delegation will all remain suppressed. 

So it’s time to shift your focus and step away from being that good ole’ workhorse!

Rise from the shadows, still be great in those operational tasks yes... but be more the leader, delegate those tasks, implement strategies...

Be conscious about making that change.

And stop working too hard!

Okay, number two of the 5 career-killing habits of high achievers...

2. Staying Put!

If you’re comfortable enough to wear ugg boots and yoga pants to work then maybe you should consider a move!

“I’m great at my job, everyone loves me, I can do it standing on my head and sometimes do…”

Well, that’s fantastic if that’s where you want to be in your career but...

If your priority or main focus is to grow, to advance and expand, to make an impact.

Then you should reconsider staying in one place for too long… Why? 

Because there can be challenges to doing so…

When you stay in a position longer than is ideal…

You can become bored and disengaged with what you do and with the company you work for…

And the hopes of your reputation or certain expertise come to light so the company will notice and make promises like: 

“You absolutely will get promoted.”

“You will be the first in line when we orchestrate the change.”

“We would be lost without you...don’t you go anywhere!”

Unfortunately with those promises, they aren’t set in stone and most likely said ingest without a start date!

But still, you keep hoping, fingers and toes crossed, so you stick around longer than you should...

Another challenge of staying too long is the possibility of losing confidence…

Being unable to achieve what your hoping for can cue some internal reactions such as doubting your abilities and your strengths.

Internally there will be that minute but powerful voice that will downplay your true talents and capabilities.

And externally, when you do apply for another position recruiters or HR will ask the question “What made you stay in that position for so long, why the change now?”

JUDGEMENT, metaphorically sweating like you’re in interrogation, cue the spotlight and police officer… 

The thing is this may not be a negative question on their behalf or meant to intimidate you but because you are already feeling anxious about the situation this simple question may feed your anxiety.  

This will then lead to a feeling of uneasiness which results in you sticking with the same type of work because you feel safe.

Don’t let this happen as you will miss out on something great, on stepping up and taking on opportunities that are perfect for you...

So the key is, do not let it happen!

Number THREE of the 5 career-killing habits of high achievers...


3. You are not irreplaceable!

OK so you’re a high achiever, you go above and beyond and work with the stakeholders of your company.

“Let’s face it the company would fall apart without me.”

The fact is you are replaceable, sorry but… we all are!

The reality of feeling irreplaceable is usually the opposite.

It is actually fear that drives us to believe we are irreplaceable… Fear of stepping out of your comfort zone, being seen, stepping up and out into something different and that is as scary as hell!

The truth is...

Everyone is replaceable and the company will survive without you trust me…

Here’s a side note to feeling this way…

If you’re working hard and you believe you are irreplaceable, the company will continue to give you more and more to do and you take it on and push yourself to do it.  

You compromise your boundaries, you miss out on time with family, and you forget all about your integrity.

This is all in an effort to prove you are irreplaceable…

The ironic thing with this situation is that once you do leave, the company scramble to find someone to do your job.

However, there isn’t just one person who can do it all so they hire two people to do your job…. Crazy times huh!

What you need to do is... 

Relax, pour yourself a cocktail, and chill…

And when you have done that, work on being smarter, begin to understand your self-integrity, your unique value proposition, and being true to yourself.  

Protect yourself and your boundaries 

And put a pin in that bubble.

Because no one is irreplaceable.

Number four of the 5 career-killing habits of high achievers...

4. Failure to self-promote

So you don’t want to have a shout out in honour of yourself…?

Go on... grab the megaphone…

“I don’t want to blow my own horn but… beep beep” 

Pat on the back…

No, you don’t want to do that..?  

Well, you may want to do some self-promoting because believe it or not you have to…

But there is a difference between shouting out your value and 

knowing your worth, your unique value proposition.

Understanding what you have to offer and the impact you make within a company.

These are the qualities people are searching for,

therefore you need to embrace self-promotion, even if it may be difficult to do.

It’s a process and an understanding of not taking yourself for granted…

Set your boundaries, and ensure you keep those prevalent.

It is also imperative you have a personal brand and be very clear on this because it will be how you’re seen in your workplace.

So whether you are wanting to step up within your current company or you are after a change of company ALWAYS articulate concisely. 

Like anything, however, there is always a flip side to self-promotion and being authentic and that is when you do step up it may change how you’re viewed by others in your workplace. 

It may also illustrate the differences you have between your values and that of the company you work for.  

You may find that there is no longer a shared alignment and that’s ok…

With this discovery however you will have to work out whether you want to remain with a company that is no longer aligned with you or find one that will be…

So the right self-promotion will be the key to your success.

And here is number five of the 5 career-killing habits of high achievers...


5. Forgetting to build a network of alliances

High achievers are always working hard, they have a great reputation, and everyone comes to them. Lovely stuff!

But here’s the thing... they have good relationships…  

they are not building alliances, they are not being viewed as a leader.

You may be thinking, “what’s the difference… aren’t all relationships vital?”

Yes, it is great to be in a good place with those you work with, have good conversations.

But the difference is that alliances CAN do more for you and your career…

They will vouch for your ideas, they will put you forward for promotion and will back your promotion. They will refer you for other opportunities.

That's a strong network, especially if your goal is to step up and out... 

It is also important for those alliances to know your personal brand…

If you can’t self-promote and have a wavering personal brand they will struggle to promote you for opportunities. 

The reasons for this is that they really don’t know what you stand for and what your values are.

Tying in with your need for alliances and your strong personal brand you have to have a strategy... 

So what is your strategy? 

When you think about strategy, you realise that there is one for EVERYTHING including personally but there is rarely a strategy for your career...

How can you move in a direction that is aligned with you…

Think about it...

Which one of these FIVE killers that we have talked about is affecting you and your career...

Think about it… Where do you feel you are going wrong...

Define it and build a strategy.

I hope you enjoyed my newsletter series.

If reading any of these career killers has got you thinking about where you are at in your career and you would like to

Reach out please do give me a call and we can have an informal chat about how I can help you overcome the roadblocks in your career.