“I mean… shouldn’t they already know?” My client looked at me, half frustrated, half defeated. We were sitting on either side of a meeting room table, coffees in hand, talking through her current work challenge.
“They know I want to step up. I’ve been doing more than my role for ages. I thought it was obvious.” She paused, letting the silence fill the space. “But then a new project landed, it was perfect for me to lead… and they gave it to someone else.”
I nodded gently. I’ve heard this story many times before. “So,” I asked her, “have you told them you want more responsibility and a decent size project to take the lead on?”
She blinked and responded “Well… not directly. But we’ve talked about my development before, and I’m always delivering. Doesn’t that speak for itself?”
Here’s the tricky part (and the part high achievers often learn the hard way):
Hard work doesn’t speak for itself.
Hard work speaks to your reliability.
Your voice speaks to your direction.
I could see the realisation land. Not in a judgemental way, more in a “oh… that actually makes sense” kind of way.
She sighed. “I just thought… if I do a good job, they’ll recognise it.”
“They do recognise it,” I said. “But recognising your efforts and knowing your career aspirations are two different things. People can’t give you something you haven’t made clear that you want.”
She stared at the table, then gave a small laugh.
“So I just need to tell them then? It’s that easy?”
“Not just tell them,” I said. “First, we need to get clear on what that next step looks like for you, then break it down into smaller parts. Once you know that, then communicate the full picture clearly with you manager.”
I added, “And moving forward, these goals should be on the agenda for your regular 1-1 catch-ups with him. Progress towards your goals needs to be something you revisit consistently, especially if you need specific opportunities at work to take that next step”
Because this is the piece most high achievers miss:
You assume your ambition is obvious because you feel it so strongly.
But everyone around you? They’re juggling deadlines, budgets, people, tasks… and sometimes their own self-doubt.
They can’t help you navigate towards your goals if you don’t give them the key points on the map.
We spent the rest of the session mapping out what she wanted next year to look like, what kind of work energised her, what she felt ready for and where she wanted to grow.
By the end, she wasn’t waiting for someone else to notice her potential.
She was ready to talk about it.
And the frustration that had weighed so heavily when she walked in?
Replaced with clarity and a sense of direction.
Clarity opens doors that hard work alone can’t.
🎧In this week’s podcast episode I dive into 5 common lessons high achievers learn the hard way. Spoiler, this is one of them. If you’ve ever felt overlooked, stretched thin, stuck in busyness, or waiting to feel “more confident” before taking your next step, this episode will resonate with you.
If this topic feels relevant, listen to the episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
The truth is, no one is coming to tap you on the shoulder and say,
“Tell me all your hopes, your plans, your ambitions.”
That’s not the reality of fast-paced work environments.
But when you make your goals visible, two things happen:
- People have the context they need to support you.
- You stop outsourcing your progression to hope, luck or assumption.
And that shift towards clarity is one of the most powerful forms of self-leadership.
Until next time, back yourself, communicate clearly, and give others the chance to meet you where you want to go. They can’t read your mind, but they can respond to your clarity.
– Nat
PS If advocating for yourself feels uncomfortable, you’re not alone. Hit reply and tell me what part feels hardest, I’d love to help you work through it.
PPS If you know someone who needs to hear this right now, please forward it on.
