What I’d Do Differently If I Were Starting My Career Again

I got married at 30.

Looking back, that was one of the better decisions I made.

Before that, I explored a lot of different paths — jobs, industries, ideas, versions of myself. Some of them stuck. Many didn’t. But the exploration itself mattered. It helped me understand what actually resonated with me instead of rushing into something because it looked good on paper or made sense to other people.

If I could rewind and give my younger self advice, it wouldn’t be about settling down sooner or “figuring it all out” faster.

It would be about how I navigated my career.

Here’s what I’d do differently.

I would stay at jobs for less time.
Early in my career, I tenure with value. I chose the security of staying put and working through adversity. Sometimes it worked out. Sometimes, it didn't. Most jobs have a beginning, a middle, and an end. it is important that you be able to recognize when it is time to leave and have the courage to step into the unknown.

I wouldn’t ignore red flags telling me it was time to leave.
You know the ones. The unease you feel on Sunday night. The recurring conversations that go nowhere. The quiet realization that the role you were hired for no longer exists. I spent too much time explaining those signals away instead of listening to them.

If I had a boss who didn’t value me, I wouldn’t wait to see if it improved.
I told myself things like “they’ll come around” or “once they see the results.” Sometimes that happens. Often it doesn’t. Your manager’s perception of you hardens faster than you think, and it’s incredibly hard to outperform a narrative that’s already been written.

I wouldn’t assume great work protects you from office politics.
This one took me the longest to learn. Performance matters — a lot — but it’s not the only thing that matters. Relationships, perception, timing, and alignment all play a role. Ignoring that reality doesn’t make it go away.

I would never get so busy that I stopped networking and building my own brand.
There were stretches of my career where I was completely consumed by the job in front of me. I told myself I didn’t have time to network because I was “all in.” In reality, I was outsourcing my future entirely to one company, one boss, one set of circumstances.

Networking isn’t something you do when you need a job. It’s something you do so you’re never trapped in one. Staying visible, maintaining relationships, and investing in your personal brand creates optionality — and optionality is freedom.

None of this means I regret the path I took. Every misstep taught me something useful. But if I’m being honest, I spent too much time trying to make situations work that were never designed to work for me.

Careers aren’t marriages. You don’t need to “stick it out” to prove your character.

If something isn’t aligned — with your values, your growth, or your future — it’s okay to move on sooner. In many cases, it’s the healthiest decision you can make.

If you could go back and give your younger self one piece of career advice, what would it be?