"You don’t need more motivation. You need a clear reason to move."

Today’s Ladder:

Career Commandment #1: Clarity Precedes Power

 “Where do I even start?”

That was the question looping in my head the morning I sat alone in a parking lot, engine running, heart heavy.

I had climbed the ladder. Earned the title. Filled my days with back-to-back meetings.

But inside, I felt lost.

I kept convincing myself: Just push harder. Say yes more. Stay busy. Eventually, it’ll all make sense.

Spoiler: It didn’t.

The more I sprinted without direction, the more exhausted and disconnected I felt.

One day, I paused long enough to ask a terrifying, but freeing, question:

“What do I actually want?”

Not what my boss wanted.
Not what society praised.
What I wanted.

That pause was the turning point.

A Harvard Business Study found that only 3% of professionals write down their goals—yet they’re 10x more likely to achieve them.

When I finally got clear on my personal goals, values, and non-negotiables, my career shifted.

I didn’t get louder—I got more aligned.

And that alignment created momentum I had never felt before.

Power doesn’t come from doing more.
It comes from doing what matters with intention.

This is why Career Commandment #1 is the foundation:

Clarity Precedes Power.

Don’t skip this step.

Without it, you’re just moving faster… in the wrong direction.

In next week’s issue, I’ll share Commandment #2, where we dive deeper into how to position yourself as the most valuable asset in your career.

Your career map starts here.

You Can’t Lead In A Fog

Get clear on what you want.

Get clear on what you won’t tolerate.

Get clear on what you’re building, who you’re becoming, and why it matters.

Get clear. Because clarity quiets the noise.

Clarity shortens the path.

Clarity tells you where to pour your energy and where to stop bleeding it.

And when you’re clear? 

You move like someone who cannot be ignored.

Takeaway:

She Skipped Commandment #1

Se was doing everything right… at least on paper.

She showed up early, stayed late, took on every extra project.
But year after year, nothing changed.

• No promotion.

• No recognition.

• No raise.

One evening, over coffee with a friend, she finally admitted, “I don’t get it. I’m doing so much. Why am I still stuck?”

My mentor looked her in the eye and asked, “What exactly are you working toward?”

She didn’t have an answer.

• No clear goals.

• No defined values.

• No personal non-negotiables.

  Just a blur of busyness without direction.

That was the moment everything changed.

She spent the next month getting honest:

• What do I truly want in my career?

• What matters most to me?

• What am I no longer willing to tolerate?

And slowly, things began to shift.

Opportunities became clearer.
Decisions felt easier.
And asking for more no longer felt bold… it felt right.

Clarity preceded her power.
And that clarity became the foundation of her rise.

When’s the last time you asked yourself those hard questions?

ICYMI: Links to recent issues

💥 Mentors vs Sponsors: And Why You Need Both

💌 How to Show Up and Win… Even Before You Feel Ready

💱 Why Some People Get Promoted Faster (And How You Can Too)

To your success,

Dr. Lex ✍️

Founder, Career Ladder | Career MBA