The Real Threat to Your Career Might Be... You 😬
How to spot the fears, habits, and mindset traps holding you back - and what to do about it.
👋🏾 Hey, it’s Wamide. Welcome to another issue of OnGrowth&, a bi-monthly newsletter on career growth, leadership, and personal development.
280+ amazing new folks subscribed this month - welcome aboard, and thank you for being here!
Every week, I talk to at least three people who feel stuck in their current role and want a way out.
The problem?
“I don’t know what to do next.”
“I don’t know where to start.”
“I’m not sure I have the right skills.”
I listen. I poke. I question. And I always end with a plan of action.
But beneath it all, the real question is: how bad do you want it?
In case you missed it…
Eight weeks ago, I kicked off a series on how to do a Personal SWOT Analysis, a powerful self-reflection tool to help you set career goals, reconnect with your strengths, and uncover opportunities aligned with your growth.
We’ve already covered Strengths, Weaknesses, and Opportunities.
Today, we’re wrapping up with the final piece: Threats.
The Price of Inaction
I’ve been there. Too many times.
Self sabotaging.
Being indecisive.
Waiting for a sign.
But nothing changed.
My break came when I decided to do something about it.
That looked like:
✅ Leaving a dead-end relationship
✅ Quitting a job that no longer challenged me
✅ Changing jobs five times till I found something that gave me the agency and flexibility
✅ Setting realistic goals, setting up systems, and actually showing up for them
✅ Starting a Substack in 2022 even after “failing” at blogging for 6 years on WordPress
Here’s the truth: Becoming anyone meaningful starts with a decision to bet on yourself.
Even when it feels scary. Even when it feels foolish.
If you want more, you’ve got to raise the bar - for your goals, your habits, the life you want, and the one you’re building.
How to move away from being your biggest threat to your biggest propeller
Here’s the part most people avoid.
But it’s necessary- so let’s talk about it.
Face. Your. Fears.
That’s the one thing I want to drum into you today?
Threats aren’t always loud or external. Sometimes they’re silent, internal - and way more dangerous.
Don’t get me wrong, external threats are real - industry shifts, unexpected company layoffs, economic uncertainty, and now the generative AI buzz - all of it can be overwhelming.
But I want you to focus on the internal ones today - the mindset traps and self-imposed blockers that quietly sabotage your progress.
That little voice saying:
“You’re not ready.”
“You’re not good enough.”
“You need to wait until things are perfect.”
Or maybe it looks like:
Underestimating your skills because of one bad boss
Avoiding feedback that could stretch you
Staying stuck in “thinking mode” but never acting
Hiding behind perfectionism, procrastination, or people-pleasing
Reflect on This:
What’s one core goal you want to achieve in Q2?
See guide below on how to set goals.
Then ask yourself:
What fears are holding me back from this goal?
Which blockers are within my control and outside my control?
What’s one small step I can take this week to move forward?
Are there tools, skills, or conversations I’m avoiding that could help?
The Price of Action
Most people think about success in terms of what they don’t have.
But success is often just a few courageous steps away.
Take Faith, one of my coaching clients. She was juggling three jobs and constantly felt stuck in her Product Design journey.
Underneath all that, she was battling chronic self-doubt, burnout and fear.
After our coaching session, I shared some mindset tools, affirmations, and a few aligned opportunities to help her take meaningful action.
Last week, Faith sent me a message - the clarity, confidence, and wins she’s experienced since? Absolutely incredible.
This is what action creates.
You have more control than you think.
Stop waiting.
Stop self-sabotaging.
Stop second-guessing.
Stop paying the price of inaction.
The thing keeping you “safe” is also keeping you “small”.
Do the thing you want to do. Start.
🛎️ Ready to Make Real Career Moves This Q2?
Here are two ways I can help:
1. Grab my Personal SWOT Template
Includes 40 guided prompts + a bonus mapping section to help you spot patterns, gain clarity, and take action. Get the template here.
2. Book a Career Clarity Session
Get the help you need to get unstuck and clear on your next step. Whether you need a one-time clarity boost or deeper support over multiple sessions, I’ve got you. Book here.
Tried the SWOT exercise? Hit reply and let me know how it went, I read (and reply to) every response.
As always, I’m rooting for you ✨
Let me just ‘hmmmm…’
Thank you for this.
This is so timely 📌📌📌 Inaction is one of the threat staring me in the face