Brooklyn Morgan via Unsplash

Are you holding yourself back at work?  When opportunities arise, do you hesitate because you’re not sure you’re ready?  Because you don’t want the hassle?  Or because this isn’t your dream job and committing feels like settling?

Those are all real concerns.  But imagine for a moment that you let yourself step up and take on more responsibility, maybe even a management role.  What might happen?

Maybe… you find you have more freedom to flex your schedule.  You start coming in before peak traffic hours and working from home one day a week.  You use the commute time you save to start that side-hustle you’ve been dreaming about.

Maybe... your new role requires you to interact with a variety of managers.  One of them becomes your mentor and points you towards an opening in a more interesting department.  You finally get to use the design skills you honed in college.

Maybe… your promotion comes with pay increase.  You put the extra money straight into your “bug-out” account.  When a dreamy new opportunity pops up in a new city, you grab it and use your savings to cover relocation costs.

Maybe… you’re given the opportunity to manage a team for the first time.  You find that you love coaching and helping others grow their careers.  You utilize the organization’s tuition reimbursement program to pursue your HR certification.

The truth is, none of us can predict where our decisions will ultimately take us.  So the best strategy is to build meaningful career capital now, so you can leverage it into whatever work – and life – you want in the future.