4 Myths Were Taught About Success

4 Myths Were Taught About Success4 Myths Were Taught About Success There are myriad paths you can follow to success - but if you believe in some career myths, youll end up at the opposite end of successful overworked , underpaid and unhappy. What are these myths, and what should you believe instead? For the answers, we turned to two career experts who will blow the lid off what success really looks like in todays workplace.You work hard, and you deserve a versetzung . But unfortunately, thats not how the work world works, says Lori Scherwin, career coach and founder of Strategize That . You need to promote yourself in order to stand out amongst a sea of talent and colleagues at your firm, Scherwin says. Being good at your job doesnt mean youre good at managing your career.To promote yourself - and therefore, snag a promotion - you must actively manage your career and put as much effort behind building relationships and focusing on the next step as you do on executing your day-to-day tasks, Scherwin explains. One easy way to focus on the next step is showing you can do the next job. It is your responsibility to understand what you need to be capable of to execute in your next role, and demonstrate that ability, says Scherwin. Just because youre a strong producer doesnt mean youll be a successful manager. So, make sure youre rounding your skill set to be functional at the next level.If youve been working for years and still havent reached your career goal , dont think for a second that its too late. According to executive coach Shefali Raina , the idea that you must start young to succeed is a myth. And its a dangerous myth to buy into. Believing in this myth leads to a self-fulfilling prophecy in which people choose not to pursue their big ideas because its too late now, she says. The reality is that success comes at any age and there are many examples of success at later ages out there, from Martha Stewart to Vera Wang.It may be coun ter-intuitive at first, but start believing this, Raina encourages Success is age agnostic, and one can be successful at any age - that all your knowledge, experience, relationships and resilience helps you build the success you want to create no matter age.All too often successful professionals romanticize stress because they think thats how a full life is supposed to feel, Scherwin says. But the presence of stress doesnt automatically mean youre also successful, she warns. People tolerate long cumbersome hours and last-minute requests as if its mandatory, Scherwin says. But it doesnt have to be. Long hours and face-time dont ensure you are doing anything constructive or delivering results.Whats more, when you over-extend yourself, you risk achieving less, Scherwin warns, as well as the propensity to take it out on others and ruining relationships in the process.Instead of gauging your success on how much you work, Scherwin recommends defining what success means to you - then finding balance at work based on that definition. That way, you are more likely to be productive and less resentful, Scherwin points out. Whats more, Scherwin encourages you to prioritize yourself. Tactically, cut out the clutter, learn how to say no and push back appropriately, and make time for me-time, she suggests.You hate office politics , but you play the game anyway because you think you must. But you dont, assures Raina. There is a misconception that in order to be successful in your career you have to play politics and that all politics is dirty, she says. When people believe this myth, they tend to avoid self-promotion or relationship-building because it might appear political. But, in reality, and in most organizations, career decisions are made by decisionmakers based on what they see, believe and perceive to be your value, Raina points out.So, instead of playing office politics, Raina suggests you take time to amplify your personal brand, build relationships, and netw ork. If you do that, Raina promises, you will make it easier for decision makers to see your value and you will be able to advance your career.