What would you do if your success was inevitable?

 

When I applied to my dream business school, I missed the GMAT cutoff by two points.   Most people would’ve moved on. I took it again — and got in.   Years later, I faced 17 rejections before finally landing my first Director role. And when I started my business, I made less than my corporate salary for three years before crossing seven figures this year.   Every one of those moments had the same turning point: I stopped asking “What if I fail?” And started asking “What if success is inevitable?”   What Would You Do Differently If You Knew You Couldn’t Fail? It’s a simple question, but if you’re honest, the answer is a lot.   You’d finally go after that promotion you’ve been “waiting to be ready for.” You’d speak up in executive meetings instead of waiting to be asked. You’d stop editing your ideas to sound “safe” enough. And you’d stop playing small just to make other people comfortable.   But most ambitious leaders don’t do any of that because they spend more time planning for failure than preparing for success. They ask themselves: What if I say something stupid? What if they say no? What if I’m not ready yet?   So they lower the bar. They delay the ask. They water down the boldest version of themselves.   But here’s the truth: When you make decisions from fear, you don’t just play it safe — you play it small. You miss out on the stretch projects, the senior visibility, the chances to prove you can operate at the next level.   And the worst part? You start to believe the story that you’re “not ready” when really, you just haven’t taken the shot.

The Mindset That Changed Everything for Me One of the reasons I’ve been able to achieve so many of my goals is simple: I refuse to believe I can’t do it. I remember listening to a podcast and hearing Tom Bilyeu say: If it does not defy the laws of physics, you can do it.   That was my first aha moment, but I was also skeptical so I decided to put it to the test. Every time my brain said, You can’t do that, I’d ask: “Does this defy the laws of physics?”   The answer was always no.   That’s when I realized — the problem wasn’t capability. It was belief.   I might not know how to do something yet, but that’s the part I can figure out. And the moment I stopped negotiating with doubt, everything changed.   When you believe your success is inevitable: You stop wasting energy on Plan B. You get resourceful. You start acting like the person who’s already achieved it.   That’s how I walked into rooms I “wasn’t ready for,” pitched ideas that changed my career, and built a seven-figure business from zero — by refusing to quit before I began.   Why This Works (and Why It’s Not Woo-Woo) Here’s the psychology behind it: Self-Efficacy (Albert Bandura): When you believe you can succeed, you work harder, recover faster, and persist longer. Growth Mindset (Carol Dweck): Seeing skills as learnable turns challenges into opportunities to grow, not evidence you’re failing. Confirmation Bias: When you assume success is inevitable, your brain looks for proof — and starts spotting chances you’d otherwise miss.   Belief doesn’t replace effort. It amplifies it. You start to act like a winner — and your environment catches up.   The Inevitable Success Shift If you’ve been feeling stuck, stagnant or feel like you’ve compromised too much, here’s how to start operating from inevitability: Decide on the Destination Don’t hope you’ll be VP “someday.” Decide you will. Leaders don’t wait for permission — they declare direction. Speak in “when,” not “if.” It’s not about faking confidence it’s the beginning of your identity shift.   Reverse-Engineer the Win Ask: If I’d already achieved this, what would I be doing differently today? Would you delegate more? Speak more strategically? Build new relationships? Start now — before the title arrives.   Commit Like There’s No Escape Hatch Tell people your goal. Apply for the role. Invest in yourself. Burn the boats. When success is the only option, you find a way. This last one is key and the part that most people struggle with. Remind yourself that most things in life are reversible. Even if you go all in right now, you can change your mind in a year.   Your 7-Day Inevitability Plan Let’s make this real with a small challenge. Try it for one week — and watch how quickly momentum builds.   Day 1 – Declare It Write your audacious goal in one clear sentence. “I will be a VP of Marketing within 18 months.” Put it somewhere visible.   Day 2 – Audit Your Actions Notice where you’re operating from fear or safety. List two behaviors that belong to “future you” — and do them.   Day 3 – Set an If-Then Trigger “If I’m in a senior meeting, then I’ll contribute one strategic insight.” “If I’m unsure, I’ll ask one clarifying question instead of staying silent.”   Day 4 – Burn One Ship Drop a comfort habit that keeps you small: hiding your ambitions, saying yes to everything, avoiding visibility.   Day 5 – Start a Power Conversation Reach out to someone senior. Share what you’re working on. Assume they’ll want to help — because high performers attract other high performers.   Day 6 – Make a Bold Ask Request visibility, budget, or opportunity. You don’t need to be 100% ready — just brave enough to ask.   Day 7 – Reflect + Reset Celebrate what moved forward. Write down one thing you’ll do next week to keep the momentum alive.

Your Next Steps Are you any closer to believing your success is inevitable? Good. You should be. Because once you start operating like success is inevitable — people start believing you.  Opportunities start finding you. This is the kind of mindset work that drives lasting success. And the path to VP, or leadership, or building your business stops looking impossible because you’re already walking it.

How to Make Better Career Decisions

 Last week, I got the following email from a reader facing a big career decision:

Hi Sahil -

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Not sure if you'll see this, but figured it was worth a shot.

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I just received an interesting job offer at a new company, but I'm having trouble making a decision. How would you think about it?

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Do you have any frameworks or mental models for this that you've written about and can point me to?

The generalized version of this question is one of the most common I get from my subscribers.

You're faced with a career choice:

• Option A: Stay in your current role
• Option B: Switch to a new company, team, role, etc.

How do you evaluate and make the best decision possible?

Here’s my framework for making career decisions:

Reader Note: This framework is focused on deconstructing the professional impact of a career decision, not the life impact. For career decisions that include a significant life change (geographic move, family, etc.), consider thinking through an analysis of the impact on the different types of wealth.

The Career Energy Matrix

There are two types of energy you learn about in primary school:

• Potential Energy: The energy held by an object. Stored energy,
• Kinetic Energy: The energy released into action. Expressed energy.

In the most simple terms, I like to think of potential energy as what could be, and kinetic energy as what is.

This forms the basis of my model for thinking about careers.

At any point in time, your career is a mix of potential and kinetic energy:

• Potential Career Energy: Things that create potential value in the future.
• Kinetic Career Energy: Things that create tangible value right now.

Potential Career Energy comes from things like the long-term accumulation of skills, knowledge, and networks. Assets that compound and stand ready to be harnessed through action.

Kinetic Career Energy comes from compensation (income, equity, etc.).

I visualize this as a simple 2x2 matrix, with Kinetic Career Energy on the X-axis and Potential Career Energy on the Y-axis:

Your current career exists somewhere on this matrix based on the combination of Potential and Kinetic Career Energy in your current role.

I define four clear “zones” on the matrix:

• Low Potential, Low Kinetic: The Dead Zone. Low accumulation of long-term, intangible assets and low generation of present day value.
• Low Potential, High Kinetic: The Trap Zone. Low accumulation of long-term, intangible assets, but high generation of present day value. It's a trap because the shine of the compensation can blind you from the lack of meaningful intangibles being built. It feels good, until it doesn't.
• High Potential, Low Kinetic: The Builder Zone. High accumulation of long-term, intangible assets, but low generation of present day value. It's the build for the future. The growth phase where you water your seeds before they break through the earth.
• High Potential, High Kinetic: The Ideal Zone. High accumulation of long-term, intangible assets and high generation of present day value. The sweet spot.

If faced with a career decision, I think there are two questions to consider:

1. Where is your current role on the matrix?
2. Where would the future role move you on the matrix?

Based on your current positioning, you can evaluate the merits of any move:

• If you're in the Dead Zone: Moving to any other zone is going to be an improvement.
• If you're in the Trap Zone: Moving straight up into the Ideal Zone is a no-brainer. Moving into the Builder Zone should be considered, but only in the context of life responsibilities. Put differently, those in a season with lower responsibilities to family (partner, children, etc.) have more flexibility to trade kinetic for potential energy.
• If you're in the Builder Zone: Moving right into the Ideal Zone is a no-brainer. Moving into the Trap Zone is the most common career pitfall. The shine of the Kinetic Career Energy blinds you to the meaning you found in the accumulation of the Potential Career Energy. Beware this mistake.
• If you're in the Ideal Zone: Moving to any other zone is going to feel like a step backwards. There are special situations where a shift into the Builder Zone may make sense if the opportunity is truly unique.

Whether you're currently evaluating a career decision or not, I'd recommend using the Career Energy Matrix and questions to develop a baseline perspective on your current situation and primary goals for the future.

Reader Note: You don't necessarily need to get your Potential Career Energy from your primary role. If you're in a high Kinetic Career Energy role, but find it lacks Potential Career Energy, you may be able to find that missing link via side hustles, projects, or other pursuits. This is another way to avoid the Trap Zone via a more diversified career portfolio, if you will.

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4 Factors For Potential Energy

In my experience, I've found that Kinetic Career Energy is a very clear concept. People immediately get it. It's money. Cash. Equity. Potential Career Energy tends to be more fuzzy.

In an attempt to bring clarity to the concept, here are a few factors I would focus on when it comes to Potential Career Energy:

1. Talent Density

You tend to rise or fall to the level of the people around you. When you work with exceptional people, you absorb their standards, pace, frameworks, and instincts almost through osmosis. High-talent environments compress learning cycles and force you to grow faster than you would on your own. If you care about compounding skills and judgment, there’s nothing more valuable than choosing the room with the highest talent per square foot.

2. Market Growth

A fast-growing market makes everything feel easier. It's a tailwind for skill accumulation, title trajectory, and opportunity set. Even average players can look like stars in a rapidly expanding industry; great players can compound outlier outcomes. Conversely, declining or stagnant markets create headwinds that even great performers struggle to overcome. It's very difficult to swim upstream, no matter how strong the swimmer.

3. Leadership Quality

Your manager is often the single greatest variable in your long-term development. Great leaders create environments where you're challenged, trusted, coached, and pushed into uncomfortable growth. Poor leaders create ceilings. They limit your exposure, suppress your risk-taking, and narrow your aperture of what’s possible. Choose leaders who invest in people, not just outputs.

4. Intellectual Stimulation Intellectual stimulation is a leading indicator of future growth because curiosity compounds just like capital. You want to be in environments that make you feel alive intellectually. Where the problems are interesting, the challenges stretch you, and you're forced into deeper thinking. When your mind is engaged, you naturally develop new skills, pursue new ideas, and build momentum. Your Career Journey A career is nothing more than a long story of future potential being converted into present reality. Most people optimize solely for the present. Few consider the full scope of that story. As I wrote in my book: "Thriving is a continuous journey, not an end state." Kinetic Career Energy pays the bills. Potential Career Energy feeds your life. It's finding the mix of the two that allows you to thrive.

5 Mistakes Quietly Disqualifying You From Promotion

 

Here’s something too many talented high achievers never hear: Promotions aren’t given to the most qualified person.   They’re given to the person who looks most ready for what’s next.   In other words, you’re not just being evaluated on your performance. You’re being evaluated on your potential. And perception - what leaders think about you - is the proof of that potential.   Every meeting, every update, every interaction sends a signal about whether you’re operating at the next level — or reinforcing the idea that you’re “great where you are.”   The tricky part? Most people don’t realize they’re sending the wrong signals and end up sabotaging their own growth.   So today I want to share with you the most common mistakes I’ve seen as an executive and a coach. The invisible mistakes that quietly disqualify you for promotion and how to fix them before your next opportunity passes you by.

The 5 Mistakes That Are Quietly Disqualifying You From Promotion 1. Doing your work in silence, instead of sharing your wins Sometimes I’m surprised how many people still believe their hard work will speak for itself. This belief is ingrained in us from a young age, so it can be hard to overcome. But the truth is it’s just not enough. No matter how hard you work, how many hours you put in, or how good you are.   If no one knows what you’re doing, your impact stays invisible and invisible people don’t get promoted.   Not to mention, with dozens of other professionals looking for attention and recognition, you can’t afford not to speak up and talk about your work.   Why it disqualifies you: Silence creates an information gap. Senior leaders can’t advocate for potential they can’t see. If they hear nothing they assume you’re maintaining the status quo, not driving change. In this case no news, is not good news. It’s guaranteed anonymity.   How to fix it: Reframe visibility as a service to your company, not vain self-promotion. When you share wins, you’re helping the company learn what’s working. And when you do it right, it’s a win-win.   Try this: “Our pilot improved conversion by 15%, which opens up a bigger opportunity for next quarter — here’s what we learned.”   That’s not bragging. That’s executive communication. (Grab my full guide on cringe free self promotion)   2. Ignoring relationship building (a.k.a networking) Let me guess, you pride yourself on staying out of politics. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: promotions are political.   Executives don’t get promoted in isolation — they get promoted through advocacy. And advocacy only happens when people know, trust, and believe in you.   That’s why building relationships isn’t a nice to have, it’s a necessity. And not just for the promotion, but for everything that happens after you get the job - from budget to headcount every change you lead requires support.   Why it disqualifies you: If your relationships don’t extend beyond your immediate manager, your name doesn’t even make it into the promotion conversation. Executive promotions require social proof. Lack of relationships = lack of sponsorship.   How to fix it: Stop networking randomly. Build a power map — identify 3–5 leaders whose goals intersect with yours. Then schedule short “insight” chats to understand what matters to them. End each with a small value add (“Would you like me to share our learnings from the X initiative?”).   Over time, you’ll be seen as someone who gets it — and that’s who leaders want to promote. (Steal my formula for adding value)   3. Staying invisible outside your team You lead your team well, but your impact and influence stops there. To senior leadership, that reads as “strong manager,” not “enterprise thinker.” To show your potential you need to get outside of your lane, strategically. That doesn’t mean try and take someone else’s job, but rather find ways to act as a consultant and share insights.   Why it disqualifies you: Executives are expected to operate at the company level, not just the functional level. If your influence doesn’t extend across functions, decision-makers can’t see you as a peer.   How to fix it: This is a tricky one because you need to maintain balance between doing your job and thinking at a higher level. That means slowly shifting the balance from only doing your job to getting involved in bigger decisions.   One way to do that is to look for a cross-functional project that’s visible to senior leaders. You’ll be part of a team that thinks at the exec level and have an opportunity to grow your impact without risking your day job.   Another options is to present updates in a leadership meeting and show how your work connects with the bigger company goals. Even one high-visibility moment can change perception — from operator to organization builder.   4. Sharing too much instead of being concise When you finally get airtime, you want to prove your expertise. So you over-explain. You show your homework. You walk people through every detail. I’ve been there… but executives don’t want the process. They want the point.   Why it disqualifies you: Over-explaining makes you sound tactical. It signals you’re in the weeds, not thinking strategically. And speaking as VP, sharing too much and drowning in information (and slides) makes you look junior.   How to fix it: Use the BLUF method — Bottom Line Up Front. Start with your insight or recommendation, then layer in key context if needed.   Example: “The data shows a 10% drop in engagement — my recommendation is to reallocate budget toward initiatives that drive retention.”   Clear. Confident. Executive. Practice distilling your message into one sentence before every meeting. That one habit will change how people perceive you.   5. Sending low-level updates You work hard to keep leadership informed but if your updates sound like a to-do list, you’re reinforcing the wrong image.   Why it disqualifies you: Executives evaluate readiness through language. If your communication is tactical (“We ran three campaigns”), they assume your thinking is too.   How to fix it: Translate tasks into business outcomes. Instead of: “We onboarded five new customers this week.” Say: “Early adoption is strong — we’re on track to hit 120% of our Q4 target.”   You’ve moved from execution to direction — and that’s what executives notice. You can also practice sending this executive update.   The Bigger Picture None of these mistakes come from lack of skill. They come from relying on an outdated formula for success — one that rewards competence, not potential. The moment you start managing perception intentionally, you stop waiting for someone else to “see” your readiness and start shaping it yourself. That’s what separates the people who deserve promotion from the ones who get it.

Your Next Steps Pick one area from this list to focus on this week: Share one strategic win publicly. Schedule one connection conversation. Rewrite one update from “tasks” to “impact.”

When Should You Stop Trying for VP?

 

"I've been trying to become a VP for a year. When should I stop trying for it?"   A client inside my program asked me this recently. And it stopped me for a second - because that's not really a tactical question. It's an emotional one.   It's what people ask when they've tried everything they think they're supposed to do… and it's still not working. It's the moment when ambition meets exhaustion.   My honest answer? If this milestone matters to you - never. Not because I believe in endless hustle.   But because the right question isn't "When should I stop?" It's "What do I need to do differently?"   The Hidden Truth About "Trying" My client wasn't chasing VP for the title or salary (though she deserved both). She had a 10-year vision - she wanted to build her reputation inside corporate first, then transition into consulting.   So when she said "nothing's working," I asked a simple but uncomfortable question: "What exactly have you tried?"   We made a list. She networked… with about five people - all year. She had a few "fun" coffee chats, but no real plan. She posted occasionally on LinkedIn - mostly random thoughts. And she had one recruiter interview for a role she didn't even want.   If you've ever been in this situation, you know how frustrating it feels. You're doing things. You're putting in effort. You're technically trying.   But without the right strategy all of your effort doesn’t get you the right results. Let’s change that.

What a VP Strategy Actually Looks Like Getting to VP isn't a waiting game - it's a campaign. And like any good campaign, it needs a plan, clear positioning, and consistent action.   Here's what I told my client to do instead:   Step 1: Turn Networking into a Strategy Talking to five people a year won't move the needle. You need consistent, intentional outreach. Reach out to 20 VPs every month. Not for favors - for insight. These conversations are where you learn how people actually made the leap.   Here's how to make those calls count: Listen more than you talk. Spend 80% of the conversation understanding their path, the shifts they made, and what leaders looked for when promoting them. Ask smart questions. "What do you think made leadership see you as ready?" "What skills mattered most?" "What advice would you give someone preparing now?" Build momentum. End every call by asking, "Who else would you recommend I talk to?" - and keep the chain going.   Within a month, you'll have real data - not assumptions - about what it takes to reach VP in your company or industry. Plus, a hot network of VPs who would think about you when opportunities open up or when they are leveling up.   Step 2: Know Your Value If you can't clearly articulate who you are and the unique value you bring, it will be hard to stand out and explain why you are the best person for the job. Avoid the trap of trying to be good at everything and focus on highlighting one thing that matters.   Your positioning statement should answer three questions: What problem do you solve? What impact do you create? Why does that matter to the business?   For example: "I help product organizations turn customer data into strategic decisions that drive growth."   Now you're not just a Director who's great at execution - you're a strategic operator with a business lens.   Once you're clear on your message, make it visible. Use LinkedIn to share insights, results, or patterns from your work that reinforce your value narrative. Visibility builds credibility.   Step 3: Create Your Own Opportunities Most people wait for the perfect job description or for recruiters to DM them. But that's how you end up waiting years.   Instead, make a dream list of companies and CEOs whose problems you can solve. Then, reach out directly - not with a resume, but with a short message that articulates your value proposition.   Something like: "I've been following your company's growth, especially your recent expansion into [X]. I specialize in helping teams operationalize that kind of scale efficiently. Would you be open to a short conversation about how I could help?"   That's how senior hires happen. Quietly. Through proactive, thoughtful outreach - not job boards. (If you are a Director just swap CEO with VP and voila!)   Why Quitting Your Dream Isn’t The Answer Here's the hard truth: most people give up right before things start to move. When a few months pass without progress, they assume they're not good enough.   That maybe they don't have "it." But that's rarely true. They don't lack potential - they lack a process.   Just because you know the ingredients - hard work, networking, visibility - doesn't mean you know how to bake the cake.   It's the same with your career.   You need to know how to combine your skills, relationships, and visibility in the right order to create results.   That's the strategy I used to land my second VP role - and the same one that helped two of my clients get promoted to VP this year, despite a tough economy and fewer opportunities than ever before.   No magic. No shortcuts. Just the right ingredients, in the right order.

Your Next Steps If you've been working toward VP and it feels like nothing's clicking - pause and ask yourself: Are you busy or are you strategic?

13 lessons life has taught me

 #1. Excellent things happen to people who do excellent things.

#2. Morning exercise is a game-changer.

 

#3. The game of leadership is helpfulness.

#4. The things that are hardest to do are the things that are generally the wisest to do.

#5. Creativity shines brightest when we are alone. Make time for silence, stillness and solitude.

#6. Education is inoculation against disruption. Read for an hour each day to protect your hope, refine your craft and grow your knowledge.

#7. The fears you don’t face become your walls. And doubts are destroyed by strong action.

#8. What hurts us can help us. Leverage hardship to reclaim your natural heroism.

#9. Cheap costs more.

#10. Mastery takes massive practice, unrelenting patience and vast devotion. It’s a very difficult obsession. And one of the best commitments you can make.

#11. An amazing family life sets you up for a glorious business life.

#12. Keep your promises. Never lie. Outwork your peers. Deliver beautiful value. People watch what you do. Even if you think they don’t.

#13. You can’t inspire others if you are uninspired. Actively work to keep your enthusiasm and inner fire high. Be with art. Go to conferences. Travel. Explore.