On paper you look good:
- You clearly check off all the boxes of skills and experiences that your company values
- You’re competent at your job and are known for getting things done
- You’re probably one of the most knowledgeable and experienced person on the team
But somehow you feel stuck – that you don’t have what it takes to get to the next level, whether it is getting that promotion, getting new clients, expanding your portfolio, closing that deal, or finding a new role.
How do you know you’re stuck? Here are some telltale signs:
- You are not on the “sexy projects.” Let’s face it: we all know which projects, clients, prospects, or deals are hot and important. These “sexy projects” give people the visibility, recognition, and connections to the right champions and sponsors who lead them to their next opportunity and role. You clearly qualify for these “sexy projects”… yet you are never tagged onto the team. You’re starting to feel resentful and peeved at continuously not being picked.
- You’re doing all the “right things” such as taking on extra projects via secondments, staying (much) later to get things done, or networking like crazy. But… it’s not getting the connections or recognition that you want.You get no signs that this will lead you to where you want to go. It’s frustrating, confusing, and even agonizing to know that maybe you are wasting your time doing all the “right things” and going nowhere.
- You see other people (who may be just as or less qualified as you are) getting ahead. They are getting staffed onto “sexy projects” or even leading them, they are getting lunch or coffee chats with the movers and shakers – while you can’t even get the mover and shaker to answer your email!, and they are getting all the right signs that they will be successful. It makes you so angry, dejected, and exhausted to know that you’re just as qualified but not going anywhere.
So if any of this resonates, I invite you to first acknowledge how painful this situation is – literally it hurts to know in your bones that you are a high achiever AND really stuck where you are right now. I want to not deny the situation or your feelings because even though it feels horrible – seeing where you really are is a great start to get to where you want to go.
The next thing is that I want to examine your own motivations.
Why? When we are stuck, it is often because we are stranded between two things– you are not motivated enough to get out of the situation (i.e.: there is something about the current situation that is still benefiting you) AND you are not motivated enough to go after what you want (i.e.: you don’t have clarity about what you want or subconsciously you actually want something else that you can’t articulate yet).
Motivation is the fuel behind your drive to get somewhere – anywhere. It is the why of what you do, whether it is past accomplishments, current projects, or future goals you want to achieve. Without knowing your motivational “why”, it’s hard to get started – nevertheless go anywhere.
While there are a multitude of motivation frameworks, there is one that I like to use with clients to figure out what makes them tick and also change. Motivation is also one of the characteristics of being a high achiever.
If the details in this article resonates with you, then I hope you can see that you are not the only high achiever who feels stuck. I have worked with people who feel this way and also founds ways to be unstuck.
So if you are interested in getting more clear about your motivations as a high achiever and be less stuck then email me at hello@pannapanya.com. I am glad to send you a white paper I wrote on this topic, so you can explore more.
Or better yet, email me at hello@pannapanya.com saying that you want a 30 minute no-strings-attached meeting with me to understand your motivation better AND get a copy of the white paper. I promise – it will be worth your time and give you another perspective to your stuckness. You do not have to be alone in the stuckness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nancy Li is a coach for driven professionals who struggle to be more authentic and want to feel connected in relationships – personal or professional. I nourish their inner connection so they can be authentic AND effective at whatever they want to do.
Website: https://pannapanya.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancywingli/
YouTube: https://bit.ly/pannapanyayoutube
Instagram: https://bit.ly/pannapanyainsta
