Playing small is sneaky. It sounds like, “I don’t need to make that much money” or “I’ll be happy if I just hit six figures.” It’s downplaying your expertise so you don’t seem like a know-it-all, or saying yes to projects that drain you because you don’t want to seem picky. For years, I thought shrinking back made me safe, likable, easy to have around. But it didn’t—it just kept me stuck in a box that was way too small for me.

For years, my work ethic was so tied to my identity I couldn’t see where one ended and the other began. I wore the grind like a badge—until I realized it was quietly erasing me.