Here are 5 things I thought I knew at 22 that turned out to be totally wrong about a professional career (and life).

1. 5
Things I Thought I Knew
at 22 That Turned Out to Be
@annhandley
TOTALLYTOTALLY
WRONGWRONG

2. I like to think I was thoughtful and
professional, eager but measured,
when I was 22.

3. The truth is that I was impatient
and usually felt inadequate.

4. Uncomfortable.
Skeptical. Clueless.

5. Here are five things I thought I knew then
that turned out to be totally wrong.

6. 1
At some point,
you’ll be
competent.

7. 1
At some point,
you’ll be
competent.
Nope.

8. "To stand still is to
fall behind."
—Mark Twain

9. In truth...

10. In truth...
The more you master, the more
you realize you don’t know.

11. The more you understand
challenges, the more you challenge
yourself to learn more.

12. The more you hone your skills, the
sharper still you want to make them.

13. 2
At some point,
you’ll be rewarded
for your hard work.

14. 2
At some point,
you’ll be rewarded
for your hard work.
Nope.

15. Recognition is like viral
marketing: a happy
accident, not a goal.

16. In truth...

17. Not only is it unlikely that anyone else will
reward you, but the very notion of
anticipating some kind of recognition is
both folly and a little childish.
In truth...

18. The only validation that ultimately
means anything is the satisfaction of
knowing that you did the best you could
on something that matters.

19. 3
At some point, you
won’t have to work
so hard.

20. 3
At some point, you
won’t have to work
so hard.
Nope.

21. "You learn the value of hard
work by working hard."
—Margaret Mead

22. In truth...

23. If you aren’t working hard, you
probably don’t care a whole lot
about what you’re working on.
In truth...

24. You never stop giving it your all.

25. 4
At some point,
you’ll realize your
fate.

26. 4
At some point,
you’ll realize your
fate.
Nope.

27. "Destiny is for losers. It’s just
a stupid excuse to wait for
things to happen instead of
making them happen."
—Blair Waldorf (Gossip Girl)

28. "Destiny is for losers. It’s just
a stupid excuse to wait for
things to happen instead of
making them happen."
—Blair Waldorf (Gossip Girl)That's it.
That's the
truth.

29. 5
At some point,
you’ll always be
right.

30. 5
At some point,
you’ll always be
right.
Nope.

31. But guess what?

32. But guess what?
Being wrong
—at least once in a while—
is surprisingly awesome.

33. Sign up to hear from
Ann regularly (-ish) at
AnnHandley.com

34. Sign up to hear from
Ann regularly (-ish) at
AnnHandley.com
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