Evan CarmichaelSpeaker / Author / Introvert

Top Mindset Shifts for Career Success Explained

24 Jul 2016 · 3 min

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2:35

In this monologue, Evan Carmichael argues that many people unconsciously follow pre‑existing "scripts"—cultural or societal expectations—that shape their career choices. While some scripts (e.g., paying taxes) are useful, many are outdated or harmful, especially in the context of career development. He outlines four common career scripts: (1) the linear promotion ladder from entry‑level to C‑suite, (2) the belief that one must stay within a single niche, (3) the “take any opportunity” mentality, and (4) the traditional 35‑40‑hour office schedule. Carmichael contends that these scripts limit possibilities and often lead to sub‑optimal outcomes. He proposes "flipping the script"—either upgrading, remixing, or completely reversing conventional advice—as a way to achieve dramatic, not marginal, improvements in one’s professional life. Small tweaks (like occasional early Fridays or modest raises) are insufficient for major challenges such as debt or an unsatisfying job; instead, a radical mindset shift is required to truly level up one's career.

Chapters

Flip the script. Consciously or not, many people tend to choose paths in life by following a pre-existing script. By script, I mean any expectation or assumption about how we should act. Some scripts and norms are important. For example, most of us pay taxes because we understand that public goods cost money and because we don't want to go to jail. This is a good script to follow, generally speaking. Many other scripts and norms, however, exist merely out of tradition, regardless of whether they're still relevant. Even worse, some exist for no reason whatsoever. And when it comes to careers, scripts can be particularly unhelpful. You may be discouraged from the kind of thinking or actions you need to find your dream job or career. For example, Script #1: Entry-level positions should lead to junior management positions, which should eventually become higher management positions. Sometimes regardless of the skills of the employees in question, with the goal being to work your way up to the C-suite or the corner office. Script #2: Everyone has a specific career niche that they should pigeonhole themselves into, and once you find yours, don't bother trying to expand or break free of it by exploring other opportunities, skills, and roles. Script #3: If any opportunity comes your way, take it. You probably get this chance only once, so don't blow it. Script #4: Everyone should work Work 35 to 40 hours a week, mostly in the office, usually on the same days and times, even though research shows that this is largely an unproductive schedule for most people. Scripts like these and others that limit the range of paths you can follow or outcomes you can achieve are at best misguided. Other times, they're simply wrong. You can get much better results from flipping the script and taking an approach that's the opposite of what you may have heard before. When you flip the script, you either upgrade update, remix, or in some cases turn the traditional advice on its head. This is not about marginal improvement. If your job sucks, gaining the right to take off early one Friday a month won't make much of a difference. If you're $80,000 in debt, a 4% raise won't pay off your creditors. You don't need to make small changes. You need to level up. Flip the script. The script.