It's your job to move forward

Don't be lazy. Don't wait for your company to give you something new, so you can use the time and advance your skillset. That's shortsighted and won't get you what you want.

I hear a lot of people complain about being stuck doing the same work they always do. "It's hard to move forward," they say. "I need them to give me something different."

Well, it doesn't work like that. People get boxed all the time, like it or not. Somebody has an idea about your skills and will keep using you in that role until the end of time.

I know you are waiting for the magic moment when you get the approval to do something new, challenging, and unexpected. But how anyone would trust you when all you've done is the same boring thing over and over? It becomes a catch 22, and you are the one that can break the cycle.

Nobody cares about where you are in your career as much as you should. Companies care about getting shit done. They care about making money. Taking risks giving people things that may be over their heads is not a brilliant strategy.

Get with yourself and think long and hard about what you want to do. Where do you want to be tomorrow? How do you want to improve your skills? If you are lucky and able to align your interests with your company's, there's a huge opportunity to level up, pitch your new skills to your boss, and get the company to pay for further development.

This strategy works. Waiting for the miracle doesn't.