I used to think working harder was the key to getting promoted.
So I did the work no one else wanted.
I kept the computer network running.
Stayed late.
Came in early.
Answered the 2 a.m. support calls.
Made sure no one ever had to say, “The system’s down.”
I thought that made me valuable.
And in some ways, it did.
But here’s what I didn’t understand back then:
➡️ The work that gets noticed isn’t always what matters most.
➡️ Staying in the background won’t bring you to the table.
➡️ Keeping things running doesn’t get rewarded—until they stop.
What I thought was service was actually silence.
What I thought was value was invisibility.
And what I thought was security… kept me stuck.
Looking back now, I realize:
👉 I wasn’t building a career—I was trying to earn worth
👉 I wasn’t leading—I was proving.
Today, I realize that to get ahead, I needed to:
Stop proving… and start building.
Lead with identity, not just output.
Build businesses that reflect my deepest wisdom—not my longest résumé.
Because I deserve more than quiet excellence.
I deserve to be seen.
Ted
