How to Avoid Getting Stuck in Your Career

Many smart and talented people don’t end up where they thought they would in their careers. They expected more, more exciting work, more impact, more rewards. But somewhere along the way, they got stuck.

It’s not because they’re not good at their jobs. In fact, most professionals are surrounded by systems that help them become great at doing their work. They learn to check every detail, hit deadlines, and give clients exactly what was promised. That’s what helps them grow early in their career.

But here’s the problem: the same skills and habits that got them to this point actually start to hold them back. How they answer emails, how they prepare for meetings, how they talk to clients.

It all needs to change. Not just a little, but completely. What worked before stops working. And not just that, it becomes the opposite of what’s needed next.Now, when this happens, most people make one of two mistakes. The first is thinking they just need to work harder. This makes sense at first.

When you’re new, working hard helps you become great at your craft. Long hours, late nights, weekends, they all help you prove yourself and deliver great work. But at a certain point, working harder just leads to burnout. You can’t grind your way to the next level. The second mistake is thinking they need to work smarter.

That means doing only the most valuable things and giving the rest to others. It sounds like the answer, and it can help, but it’s not the full solution. Working smarter might make your week better. But it won’t change your whole career. If you only keep doing what you’re already good at, working harder or smarter, you’ll stay stuck.

So what’s the real secret?

It’s something I call The Shift.

To truly grow, you have to learn a completely new set of skills. These new skills aren’t about doing the work, they’re about winning it. And that’s a big change.

Before the Shift, your job is to give your clients certainty. You deliver what was promised, on time and on budget. You solve problems and clear things up. That’s what I call Doing the Work.But after the Shift, your job is to help clients imagine new possibilities. Not just answer their questions, but ask better ones. Not just solve problems, but help them see opportunities.

That’s what I call Winning the Work. And to win work, you have to act differently. You don’t expect every email to get a reply.

Instead, you treat your messages as gifts, offers of help that people can accept when they’re ready. Your emails aren’t long and full of answers, they’re short, simple, and open the door to a conversation.

The same goes for how you talk to clients. When you’re doing the work, you speak regularly and clearly. But when you’re trying to win work, your messages might come at surprising times, like a thoughtful article sent out of the blue, or a note checking in after a big announcement.

In meetings, doing the work means having answers. Winning the work means bringing great questions and letting the client lead. And most of all, when you’re trying to win work, the rewards don’t come right away. You might not even know if your effort made a difference. But if you keep showing up, giving first, and staying generous.

You plant seeds that grow later.

That’s why the Shift matters so much. It’s not just about doing what you already do, but better. It’s about stepping into a new way of thinking. One where you create possibilities, not just certainty. One where you give first, and grow because of it.

If this resonates with you, I talk more about this in my book Give to Grow. Check it out here. 

For a high-quality download of the Doing vs. Winning Chart, sign up for our supplemental materials here.

Mo