These mistakes cost me years of growth.
Now, as a doctor turned entrepreneur,
I see others repeat them.
Fix them fast to accelerate your career:
1/ Solving problems that aren't yours.
↳ Let small fires burn. Build systems that prevent them.
2/ Staying because it's comfortable.
↳ Update your resume monthly. Interview before you're stuck.
3/ Making yourself irreplaceable.
↳ Document your role and train your replacement.
4/ Thinking work friends are real friends.
↳ Schedule a coffee with someone two levels up. Monthly.
5/ Waiting for permission to lead.
↳ Find a broken process. Fix it without being asked.
6/ Playing the long-term game.
↳ Build skills that travel, not roots that trap.
7/ Avoiding office politics.
↳ Build three allies above your pay grade.
8/ Hiding behind hard work.
↳ Turn wins into visible process improvements.
9/ Trusting HR is on your side.
↳ Document everything. Build your evidence trail.
10/ Saving questions for later.
↳ Ask the awkward question in the big meeting.
11/ Chasing titles over skills.
↳ Focus on building rare, valuable skills.
12/ Becoming too specialized.
↳ Learn adjacent skills. Build breadth and depth.
13/ Avoiding difficult conversations.
↳ Address issues early. Be direct but kind.
14/ Not building your network.
↳ Build one new connection weekly. Stay in touch monthly.
15/ Ignoring industry trends.
↳ Read industry news daily. Learn one new tool monthly.
16/ Taking credit instead of giving it.
↳ Highlight their contributions. Build through generosity.
17/ Not negotiating early offers.
↳ Research market rates. Ask for more than is comfortable.
18/ Staying too long in one role.
↳ Change roles every 2-3 years. Seek new challenges.
19/ Not building a personal brand.
↳ Share insights weekly. Build thought leadership.
20/ Avoiding all risk.
↳ Take one calculated risk quarterly.
21/ Working without metrics.
↳ Define key success metrics. Track and share results.
The hospital taught me to prevent disasters.
Entrepreneurship taught me to turn them into opportunities
What’s your biggest career mistake?