Your Sorting Hat: On reversing goal setting, curing unhappiness and quiet influence
Career Tuesday
Careers, Life and Questions (Jun 25, 2025)
Wish you a Happy Career Tuesday!
3 Career Ideas
I.
"Brave first. Brave again.
Bravery and self confidence aren’t a one-time leap - they are practices.
Apply to that stretch role. Speak up in the meeting. Pitch your big idea.
The first brave act makes the second easier. Momentum follows motion. Your career compounds when courage becomes habit."
II.
"Reverse your goal-setting.
Instead of "Where do I want to be in 5 years?", ask:
→ What do I not want to regret?
→ What would I be proud of?
Work backwards from your future pride. That’s your roadmap."
III.
"Measure what’s invisible.
What can’t be quantified still counts.
Did you uplift a teammate? Did your writing spark change? Did your idea shift direction?
Track your influence - not just tasks. You lead more than you know."
2 Life Quotes from Books
I.
Martha Beck, sociologist and life coach, in The Way of Integrity, on living truthfully::
"Integrity is the cure for unhappiness. Period."
Source: Book: The Way of Integrity by Martha Beck
II.
Brian Andreas, storyteller and artist, on small acts of meaning:
"Anyone can slay a dragon... but try waking up every morning and loving the world all over again. That’s what takes a real hero."
Source: Book: Story People by Brian Andreas
1 Question
What’s one quiet way you led this month that no one noticed—but you’re proud of?
(Make a list. Celebrate it. Influence doesn’t always come with applause.)
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Until next week,
Devashish Chakravarty
Author of YourSortingHat
Columnist for Careers at The Economic Times