My false beliefs held me back from a promotion for more than 3 years...

I was convinced I had to follow the corporate rules, so I never stopped to question my beliefs.

You may be doing the same thing without realizing it and sabotaging your own growth.

To quote Tony Robbins:

So today, we will bust some of these myths and set the record straight.

This may blow your mind if you have been stuck in your career.

The 6 False Beliefs That Are Probably Holding You Back

Every aspiring executive should avoid these:

(Just flip them for fast career growth)

1) I need to wait for my turn

This is the biggest corporate BS I’ve ever heard. Seriously, time doesn’t reflect competency.

Just because someone held a role for a while doesn’t make them good at what they do.

Great companies promote based on merit, results, and potential. Not how long you’ve waited.

Bottom line: You don’t need to wait for your turn. You can get promoted twice in one year or even 11 months into a new role outside of the promotion cycle (just ask my clients). You just need to know how to make an unbreakable case for your promotion.

By the way, this applies to the misconception that you are too young or too old to get promoted. Time or age does not represent your competency.

2) I need to be good at everything

If you think an executive has to be good at everything, look at your manager and his or her manager and tell me if they are experts at EVERYTHING in your discipline.

I can guarantee they are not. I didn’t become a VP because I was the best marketer in the world. I got there because I could think strategically, connect the dots across the business, hire better experts, and lead a team.

Bottom line: You don’t need to be good at everything. You are wasting time if you are learning every new trend and training on every new software.

3) I should make everyone happy

I used to think making everyone happy would help me get ahead. If they like me, they’ll promote me, right?

In reality, the opposite is true. If you always agree with everyone to please people, especially your boss, you might be seen as helpful but not executive material. Executives are not “yes” people; they have opinions. That’s literally their job - to make decisions that move the company forward.

Bottom line: Don’t be a yes person if you want to level up. You must form an opinion based on your experience and learn to lobby for your ideas. That’s how executives drive change.

4) Only charismatic extroverts become executives

It may seem this way when you watch TV or go on Twitter, but there are different ways to be influential. Some people achieve it with a charismatic and inspirational personality; others cultivate meaningful relationships. It doesn’t matter how you do it; it matters whether you can mobilize people and deliver results.

Bottom line: You don’t have to be Steve Jobs or Elon Musk to become an executive. You can be your authentic self and thrive; you just need to figure out your HOW.

5) The best person always gets the job

The corporate world is not a meritocracy. That means the best person, on paper, doesn’t always get the job.

If all it took were acing a test, most people would become executives at some point in their careers. But only 9% of people get promoted. The person who gets the job is the one who can sell themselves as the best solution to the company’s problems.

Bottom line: Don’t try to be the BEST at everything. Learn how to sell your strengths to the right company.

6) Hard work (hours) will get me there

A promotion is not a reward for doing your job well. It’s a vote of confidence you’ll be able to operate at the next level. That means doing more of the same will not make you an executive, no matter how many hours you put in.

It’s about working smarter, not working harder. You must do work that moves the needle, not deliver meaningless outputs.

Bottom line: You don’t need to work crazy hours to break through to executive roles. You need to identify opportunities to move the needle and make them count.

BONUS:

7) I'll wait for someone to tell me I’m ready

I’ll be honest: if you need to be told that you are ready for the executive suite, you are probably not ready to be an executive. It’s kind of like asking your parents for permission. If you need to do it, you are clearly not an adult yet.

It’s healthy to seek feedback and advice, but this is a decision you need to make and drive.

Your next steps

Once I realized these false beliefs held me back, I pushed back and did the opposite.

On paper, I should have failed at corporate. In reality, my career exploded:

→ 10 promotions in 15 years

→ VP at half a billion $ startup

→ Award-winning marketer

This happens when you challenge the status quo and ditch what’s considered a common belief.

If you are stuck in mid-management and need help to level up, look inside first.

A lot of the obstacles in your way are self-inflicted.

You don't lack the skills.

Delete these false beliefs → you'll become unstoppable.

I believe in you, and I’m rooting for you.

Maya ❤️