In 2018, I found myself in a career valley, staring at a note I’d scribbled in a moment of despair: “No one will ever hire me. I should give up. I’m not good enough.” This came after a string of job rejections that each felt like a blow to my self-esteem.
While my friends and former coworkers were climbing the career ladder, I felt stuck. After yet another rejection call, I took a photo of the note, and dropped it into a document titled “Experiments in failure and rejection”. Initially, it was meant to help me reflect on my career progress and provide some perspective, but if I’m being honest, it felt more like a catalog of disappointments and self-pity.
Looking back at that photo now (major cringe), I see it as a stark reminder of how consumed I was by impostor syndrome and self-doubt. I had limited myself, believing success meant landing the perfect job or finding an all-knowing mentor. This mindset had boxed me in, clouding my ability to see potential in roles from public speaking to leadership.
The turning point wasn’t a prestigious job offer or meeting a mythical, well-connected mentor. Those never came (shocking, I know). Instead, it was a more gradual realization that came through continued failures, angst spirals and lots of learning experiences. I began to appreciate the growth coming from unexpected places — my coworkers. They became my mentors and confidants, teaching me about resilience, collaboration, partnership and what good leadership truly feels like.
I slowly built my own support system (thanks to some timely advice on voltrons), tapping in to the secret power of coaches, allies, and champions. These people helped reveal my own strength, equipped me to dismantle my inner critic, and break free from limiting beliefs.
In my journey, I’ve come to understand that real success can never be about copying someone else’s blueprint. It’s about recognizing your own inherent worth, independent of external validation, and crafting a path that resonates with your own values. The real shift happened when I started viewing my career as a canvas for my own vision of success, detached from conventional (and often uninspiring) expectations.
Today, my measure for success is this: How actively am I using my voice? For me it’s about contributing meaningfully in conversations, taking risks and sharing my thoughts, even when they challenge the status quo. Success is measured in moments of my authentic self-expression and the courage to step into the foreground.
I’m immensely grateful for the lessons learned, the connections made, and the wisdom that comes with experience! My heartfelt thanks to the wonderful, wise, compassionate, and talented people in my life who have been here to show me the way.
PS. I still update my CV of failures, and spoiler alert… I’ve added a lot of successes to it too. Curious to see it? Drop a comment below!
