The corporate ladder leads to great heights, respected job titles, power and lifestyles those at the bottom of it, can only dream of. For some, however, it can be scary, and there are many places you could slip and fall off the ladder completely.

I was in corporate for 23 years and climbed the ladder much quicker than my peers, making partner in my early 30’s. I’ve seen firsthand the benefits of being at the top and it allowed me to achieve and experience some of the greatest things in my life. I’ve also seen how it can easily destroy the spirit of those who let others take advantage, whereby they end up working on other’s terms and not towards their own goals.

This is my advice to those starting out. Growth is uncomfortable, but what’s more uncomfortable is ending up in a role and way of working that doesn’t make you happy.

Know your boundaries.

Knowing and setting boundaries early on in relationships and roles is important to protect both your time and energy. When you start to ease up and help out with that ‘one thing’ you didn’t have time for, it becomes two and three before you know it. People can take advantage of your time without even realising it, so remind them. Spreading yourself too thinly leaves no energy for yourself. Never sacrifice yourself for a job or money.

Decide which battles are worth fighting.

“To be kind is more important than to be right. Many times, what people need is not a brilliant mind that speaks but a special heart that listens.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald. Whilst it’s important to stand up for ourselves and the causes we believe in, it’s equally important to avoid small conflicts that zap our happiness.

Don’t let others dictate your career.

It’s not your boss that sets your life progression, you need to decide and take action for yourself where you want to be. Similarly, don’t follow the dream that others have for you just because it’s expected. Family and friends told me I was going mad when I left a role that on paper, was amazing but it wasn’t bringing me happiness.

Don’t get fixated on achieving the next step.

We reach goals and suddenly the goalposts move and we didn’t get a chance to revel in the achievement. Celebrate those wins and realise that there will always be a higher title, bigger salary, bigger team to manage and a bigger client project.

Balance and everything in moderation.

You’re so much more than your career. Make sure you fill your life with things that enthuse and excite you. There’s no point working all day every day to earn extra money for a family that you never get to see grow up or experience life with them. We often see this played out in films where an absent, overworked parent finally realises the true point of life – living, not working.

Admit your weaknesses and your faults.

Those are the things that make you human. Where weaknesses can be areas for progression, we don’t need to fix every single thing! Do you really need to be great at writing when your job requires a mathematical mind? I wish I had invested more time into understanding myself earlier on, allowing me to accept my weaknesses rather than being so self-critical. Asking for help and being able to look objectively and with confidence at your flaws is a strength. It takes courage to be vulnerable enough to say we’re imperfect.

Build a bridge and a ladder underneath.

Don’t sit in isolation. Remember, if you fly alone you die alone. Nobody is a ‘self-made millionaire’, thousands of others help them build products, companies and services to get there.

Always question.

If your intuition is telling you something – listen. Always keep questioning the things around you. Question the problem, the process, people’s assumptions and solutions. If something doesn’t feel right in your gut, it probably isn’t.

Identify self-doubt.

If I could’ve done one thing differently it would’ve been to identify my limiting beliefs much earlier on. I had ingrained thoughts about success and others that often stifled my progress or stopped me from going for things that would’ve helped me achieve my goals.

Choose your boss, not the role.

A great boss is hard to get, hard to leave and impossible to forget. They can lift you up, teach you how to become an expert in the industry and put you on the right teams and projects to help you thrive. Or, they can tear down your confidence, micromanage your last bit of autonomy away and box you into a role you don’t get joy from. Pick wisely and don’t be afraid to walk away from toxic management.

Show up as yourself and always on time.

Whilst timeliness pays off, all the time, so does being yourself. It gets exhausting putting on a front and trying to be someone you are not. Soon enough, the cracks start to show and people can see through the act. If there’s one thing you can take from this, it’s to act with complete authenticity. If I could turn back the clocks I would’ve stepped into my authentic self and acted with true integrity far sooner.