Career Deinfluencing: The truth about success in 2025
Do you feel it? Do you sense it? That final-quarter hum - the days are getting darker, your rhythm’s somehow louder than ever, and everyone’s suddenly on a mission (or thirty) to squeeze the last drops out of 2025. If that pressure is whispering - or yelling - that you should apply the same sprint logic to your whole life, and especially your professional life, pause for two seconds. 🧘
And mostly: fear not, dear marketing friend. This month I’m handing you permission to do the opposite: to deinfluence your career. Think of it like a tidy-up for career expectations - un-follow the loud, shiny rules that tell you success must be linear, flashy, or measured only by salary. We’ll question those rules, keep what actually helps, and ditch the rest. ♻️
So take a breath, pour a cup of whatever keeps you sane, and enjoy - guilt-free - what I’m about to share. Over the next few lines I’ll debunk five career myths that are quietly sabotaging your progress and offer practical, quieter alternatives that actually move you forward. Ready? Let’s deinfluence your career before 2026 comes around. 💫
🚀 myth #1: careers are linear
The story we’re sold: Careers should look like ladders. You start on the first rung, climb steadily upwards, and ta-da - success.
Reality check: That’s…not real life. Careers are more like squiggly doodles than straight lines. Sideways moves, backward steps, breaks, pivots - they all count. In fact, they often teach you more than a “perfect” trajectory ever could and more importantly, likely to happen in the world we live in where things are less predictable than they used to!
Why this matters: Non-linear moves aren’t detours. They’re data points. Each step helps you figure out what actually lights you up (and what doesn’t).
💡 Food for thought: What’s one non-linear move you’ve made this year (or ever) that taught you MORE than any “straight line” promotion would have?
💸 myth #2: salary = success
The story we’re sold: The bigger your paycheck, the bigger your worth.
Reality check: Salary matters - bills and bougie oat lattes don’t pay themselves. But tying your entire identity to your income? That’s a one-way ticket to burnout. Real success has many currencies: balance, growth, creativity, freedom, impact, health, just to name a few.
Why this matters: People who chase only the financial ROI often hit a ceiling - fast. People who value multiple forms of ROI (skills, joy, health, time) tend to stay in the game longer and happier.
💡 Food for thought: What’s one non-financial return on investment that’s important to you right now? (e.g., flexibility, recognition, learning, purpose).
🚗 myth #3: your career should only be ONE thing
The story we’re sold: Pick a lane. Stick to it. Stay loyal.
Reality check: Today’s careers are more like patchwork quilts (yes they're back on trend, I'm telling you!). A 9-5 can co-exist with a freelance side hustle, volunteering, creative projects, or passion pursuits. Far from being “distracting,” these extras can sharpen skills, widen networks, and keep you energised.
Why this matters: A portfolio career gives you options. If one area wobbles (hello, recession or layoffs as mentioned in #1 above), the others keep you steady.
💡 Food for thought: What’s one “outside project” that feeds your curiosity and makes you feel successful beyond your job title?
⏳ myth #4: you’re too young / too experienced to change
The story we’re sold: You’re either not seasoned enough to be taken seriously, or you’re too seasoned to start fresh.
Reality check: Reinvention doesn’t come with an age limit. Professionals in their twenties can lead teams. Professionals in their fifties can pivot industries. The truth? Skills compound. Every stage brings assets that make you valuable in new ways.
Why this matters: The fastest-growing group of career changers today are people mid-career - proving it’s never too late (or too early) to try something different.
💡 Food for thought: If age or experience weren’t a factor, what career experiment would you try? What's holding you back from trying it out next year?
💅 myth #5: everyone else has it all together
The story we’re sold: Scroll LinkedIn for five minutes and it looks like everyone’s thriving, winning awards, publishing books, running marathons, and negotiating six-figure raises - all before lunch.
Reality check: Highlight reels hide the messy middle. Behind those wins are setbacks, rejections, “I-have-no-idea-what-I’m-doing” moments. No one has it all together (I know I don't - here's my CV of failures as proof!).
Why this matters: Comparison steals focus. When you measure against someone else’s curated story, you miss the progress happening in your own.
💡 Food for thought: Who’s one person you could have an honest, behind-the-scenes conversation with this month - just to remind yourself that no career is as polished as it looks online?
🍂 wrap-up: deinfluence your way into 2026
So here we are. Five myths - unfollowed. Five realities - reclaimed.
Before you charge into the last quarter of the year trying to hit every milestone in sight, take a pause. Ask yourself: which of these myths have I been carrying, and which ones am I ready to let go of? 👀
Your career isn’t a straight race to December 31st. It’s a collection of choices, seasons, and experiments that add up over time. When you free yourself from outdated definitions of “success,” you make space to define your own.
👉 Reflection prompts for Q4:
Which myth do you catch yourself believing most often?
What does “career success” really look like for you right now (not forever, just this season)?
What’s one practical step you can take in October to move toward your version of success?
And remember: just like your favourite influencer’s skincare shelf, you don’t need every product. You don’t need every career rule. You just need what works for you. And if you need help figuring that one out, my calendar's this way.
Here’s to deinfluencing, redefining, and finishing 2025 on your terms, you've got this. ✨
Career Coach, DEI Trainer, Speaker and Women Empowerer.
