Ran into an old mentor at a coffee shop and it rewired my brain

I bumped into my old boss from 2015 at a Starbucks off I-35 last week. She was the one who taught me how to handle angry clients without losing my cool. We got to talking about career growth and she hit me with something I didn't expect. She said 'you stopped asking for the hard projects about 3 years ago and nobody noticed but me.' That stung because I thought I was being smart by staying in my lane. But she was right - I got comfortable with my routine and stopped pushing for the stuff that scared me. Made me realize I've been coasting on past wins instead of looking for new challenges. Has anyone else had a former coworker or boss call them out on something they'd been ignoring about their own career?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_oliver4d ago

you stopped asking for the hard projects about 3 years ago" feels like a stretch from a casual coffee chat. Could just be a former boss trying to stay relevant with some unsolicited advice.

wells.christopher4d ago

Didn't I just read a study that said people regret playing it safe more than failing? Sounds like your mentor gave you the wake up call before you hit that regret phase.