3 Career Beliefs I Had to Unlearn to Find Alignment

When we think about changing careers or finding alignment, we usually imagine adding something—a new skill, a new role, a new opportunity. But in my case, the most powerful changes came not from adding, but from unlearning.

Each decade of my career asked me to shed a belief I once clung to for safety. Here’s what I had to let go of to finally find alignment—and maybe, something here will resonate with where you are now.

Mid-20s: “If I speak up and people disagree, I’ll lose my job.”

In my mid-20s, I was living in Australia on a working visa. The stakes were high. Losing my job didn’t just mean starting over—it meant leaving the country. That fear kept me quiet.

In meetings, I’d watch others share the ideas I had scribbled in my notebook or ask the very questions I was too anxious to voice. I kept my head down and my workload up, hoping that staying invisible would keep me safe.

But over time, staying silent began to feel worse than the fear of speaking up. I hit a point where I thought:

👉 If I feel fear, I’ll choose courage.

That moment shifted something. It wasn’t overnight, but little by little, I started to find my voice. Not because the fear disappeared, but because I stopped letting it steer the wheel.

Why it matters:

This is about psychological safety—an environment where we feel safe to take interpersonal risks. According to research by Amy Edmondson at Harvard Business School, teams with higher psychological safety are more effective and innovative. Fear stifles creativity; safety allows it to flourish.

And here’s the thing: sometimes that safety has to come from within first.

Late-20s: “If I change jobs, I won’t be the expert anymore.”

By my late 20s, I knew 99% of my role inside out. On paper, I was thriving. But in reality? I was bored. Resentful, even. Then came an unexpected opportunity—a high-performing team was being assembled across the company, and my name came up.

Part of me wanted to stay put. After all, I had status here. I knew the ropes. But another part of me whispered:

👉 This is good for me long term.

That whisper was right. Saying yes to that role reignited a part of me that had gone numb. It reminded me that growth rarely comes from knowing everything, but from being willing to not.

Why it matters:

This is a classic case of imposter syndrome meeting growth mindset. According to a study in the Journal of Behavioral Science, over 70% of people will experience imposter feelings at some point. But embracing new challenges—even when you don’t feel 100% ready—is how we build real confidence.

You can’t become the expert without first being the beginner.

Early 30s: “Finding Career Alignment = more money and promotions.”

By my early 30s, I’d ticked the boxes: the title, the salary, the perks. More than enough for a single guy in Sydney. But something felt... off.

I thought more money would bring more happiness. Instead, I noticed the returns were diminishing. Life was easier, yes. But better? Not necessarily. I had less energy. More pressure. And that quiet question kept surfacing:

👉 Is this really it?

Turns out—it wasn’t.

Why it matters:

A study by Princeton found that while happiness increases with income up to around $75,000 per year, beyond that, emotional well-being plateaus. It’s called the hedonic treadmill—we adapt quickly to material gains, but the deep fulfillment we crave often comes from meaning, not money.

The Real Work: Unlearning

Looking back, each moment of career realignment required me to let go of something I thought I needed for safety:

* The belief that silence would protect me.

* The illusion that expertise was the same as worth.

* The assumption that money equaled meaning.

Unlearning is uncomfortable. It asks you to peel back layers of identity you’ve worn for years. But it also creates space—for purpose, for confidence, for calm.

And here’s the beautiful irony: the more I’ve unlearned, the more I’ve aligned.

Start Your Unlearning

If you’re feeling misaligned in your career—tired, anxious, or questioning the path you’re on—it might not be about pushing harder. It might be about pausing long enough to ask: What beliefs am I holding onto that no longer serve me?

Unlearning isn’t easy. But it is liberating.

👉 Want support as you realign?

I've been guiding high-performing professionals reconnect with purpose, clarity, calm and confidence since 2021. Book a discovery session to unpack your current career situation and start aligning to your true potential.

You don’t need to become someone new.

You just need to return to who you’ve always been—before fear took the mic.