Why do even driven, high-performing individuals sometimes avoid taking crucial decisions? It can happen for a number of reasons, but often one psychological phenomenon is the driving force behind this type of behaviour: the fear of regret.

Last week, I wrote about a common problem: the person who thinks they have succeded for one reason, when in reality it was for an entirely different one. This week, I address a similar phenomenon: the person who succeeds early in their career and who fails to adjust their working style even as they occupy successively senior positions.

We often think we have succeeded for one reason, when in fact our success is due to entirely different reasons. And therein lies the danger: success can be short-lived if we do not understand the reasons behind our success. These reasons can change over time, especially as we evolve in our careers.

Sometimes, when one hits a career plateau, it is a warning sign. In this article, I warn you about a less frequent cause of career stagnation that is unfortunately becoming increasingly common: burn-out.

In the latest in a series of articles on career stagnation, this week I focus on the key ingredient for career advancement: motivation. Without it, it can be a challenge to stay in your current role, and nearly impossible to progress.

Although nearly everyone experiences some type of stagnation in their career at some point, it can feel particularly challenging for professionals who have experienced a rapid progression at the outset of their career.

Fear of judgment is both a cause and symptom of a lack of self-confidence. In this article, which is part of a series on self-confidence, I explore the roots and impact of this fear before showing an effective way to start letting go of it.

As paradoxical as it might sound — particularly given the prevalence of myths of the “self-made” professional — there are several reasons why a request for help is actually a sign of strength.

Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck’s work on mindset provides important insights on how our understanding of the nature of talent and skill impacts our level of self-confidence.

The problem of self-doubt is complex, and the root cause is different for everyone; for that reason, I shall come back to this theme in the future. But first, I take stock of the cost of all of this self-doubt.

The story of Kati Karikó, the primary scientist behind the mRNA vaccines that are helping to turn the tide on the Covid pandemic, demonstrates that it is possible to have a fulfilling career and a good quality of life: in fact, both are made up of the same ingredients.

When people find that their work is meaningful, their performance increases by 33%. Think about it this way: if our work is in line with our values, that’s like having more than an extra day and a half each work week.

It is easy to convince yourself that you work as efficiently as possible, particularly if you have been doing your job for some time. Falling victim to this sort of complacency costs you needless time and energy.

Micromanagement is one of the top management gripes in all industries. Most, if not all, of us, have had the misfortune of a micromanaging boss. How do you put an end to it?

Neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett’s book How Emotions Are Made is an eye-opener. For those of you familiar with Daniel Kahneman’s best-selling book, I describe it as Thinking, Fast and Slow but for the emotional aspects of our brains. In a nutshell, Dr Feldman Barrett shows that our colloquial understanding of how emotions function is largely backwards.

Focusing your time and energy on finding ways to get the most out of your limited free time is likely a more realistic and effective strategy than striving for an unattainable “balance” between work time and free time.

What we wanted in a career ten years ago isn’t necessarily what we want today, or will want in ten years time. The good news is that, just as we grow and change, our jobs usually do, too.

The fourth in a series of interviews with lawyers who have engineered careers that work for them is with a former lawyer who now works in a consultancy advising a range of clients—including governments and intergovernmental organisations—on issues related to labour law. She describes her career trajectory and provides insights on what makes trained lawyers attractive candidates for non-legal positions, as well as some advice on how to make the transition.

Remote working and hybrid working remain at the forefront of every manager’s mind, and the remote working policies adopted in the wake of the pandemic will shape the landscape of the professional world for years to come.

For that reason, I reached out to Eliot Sherman, a professor at London Business School who is the author of one of the rare randomised studies that objectively assesses the impact of remote working.

In my latest interview with a lawyer who has created a rewarding career for herself, I spoke with a senior lawyer on the in-house legal team at an intergovernmental organisation (IGO) who shares her wisdom on what it takes to be a successful in-house lawyer, including the art of delegating and how to stay calm even when the pressure runs high.