Have You Ever Felt Like You Had No Choice?
For years, I thought success meant doing exactly what was expected of me.
✔ Follow the rules.
✔ Work hard.
✔ Keep others happy.
✔ Never question the way things are done.
I did everything “right.” But something felt… off.
I wasn’t leading—I was performing leadership.
I was doing what I was told, meeting expectations, and avoiding risks.
I had no voice. No real choice. And success? It simply meant checking the right boxes.
But inside, I felt stuck. The stress of always getting it “right” weighed on me. The pressure to prove my worth led to overwork. And deep down, I knew I wasn’t making the impact I wanted—or growing in my career the way I had hoped.
Something needed to change.
The Hidden Cost of Playing It Safe at Work
Here’s the thing: when we avoid risk, we also avoid opportunities for advancement.
Playing it safe can:
❌ Keep you invisible—Your hard work is valuable, but leaders notice those who contribute ideas and take initiative.
❌ Limit your leadership potential—If you’re waiting for permission to lead, someone else will step up instead.
❌ Stall your confidence—You won’t develop new skills if you don’t stretch yourself beyond your comfort zone.
❌ Create stress and burnout—Perfectionism and overwork aren’t what drive career growth—strategic action does.
That’s exactly where I found myself.
I remember sitting in a meeting, listening to someone present an idea. It sounded great on the surface, but I knew there were real challenges that would impact implementation.
I had a different perspective—one that could add value.
But instead of speaking up, I hesitated.
❓ What if I was wrong?
❓ What if they thought I was being difficult?
❓ What if I was seen as challenging?
So, I stayed silent.
And that’s when I realized: I wasn’t just avoiding risk—I was avoiding growth.
If I wanted to advance in my career and leadership, something needed to change.
A Better Way to Lead with Confidence (and Grow Your Career)
This realization started me on a long journey of self-reflection—one that led me down unexpected paths. And along the way, I found coaching.
Through coaching, I started to question everything:
➡️ What if the “rules” I was following weren’t actually serving me?
➡️ What if success wasn’t about doing what I was told—but about trusting myself to lead?
And slowly, I made a shift.
Step #1: Challenge the Leadership Rules Holding You Back
We all have unspoken leadership “rules” we follow:
- “Leaders must always have the perfect answer.”
- “I can’t challenge authority or I’ll seem difficult.”
- “If I delegate, I’ll look like I can’t handle my workload.”
I started questioning these beliefs and realized—they weren’t actually true.
In fact, the most successful leaders challenge outdated norms, trust their own thinking, and take smart risks.
And when I started leading instead of waiting, I saw career growth happen naturally.
Step #2: Shift from Seeking Approval to Owning Your Leadership
For years, I sought validation—waiting for someone to confirm my ideas before speaking up.
But the truth is: waiting for approval keeps you stuck.
Leadership isn’t about pleasing everyone. It’s about owning your perspective, making decisions, and learning as you go.
When I stopped seeking permission and started trusting my voice, I became a more confident and impactful leader.
🌱 And when I started showing up as a leader, I became the person leaders wanted to invest in.
Step #3: Release the Need to Have It All Figured Out
One of the biggest leadership traps? I believed that great leaders were the ones who always had the right answer.
So I thought I had to have all the “right” answers before speaking up or taking action.
But real leadership isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress.
Instead of hesitating out of fear that you’re not “ready,” try:
✅ Taking action, even when things aren’t perfect.
✅ Embracing feedback and iteration, instead of fearing mistakes.
✅ Leading with curiosity rather than certainty.
🌱 People who grow in their careers aren’t the ones who wait for clarity—they take action, learn, and refine along the way.
What About You?
If playing it safe isn’t working, what’s the alternative?
👉 What’s one leadership ‘rule’ you’ve followed without questioning?
Is it serving you—or is it holding you back?
Your Next Step
Speaking up isn’t easy. It takes courage to step into the unknown and the skill to communicate with impact. But leadership growth starts here.
💡 If you’re ready to strengthen your voice and step into your leadership, let’s connect! [Book a free discovery call here.]
🌱 Because the best leaders aren’t the ones who follow the rules—they’re the ones who rewrite them.