Reader,

Last month, I had a call with a hard working leader who voiced something he hadn't told anyone.

Tom was the guy everyone want's on their team. He prided himself on being the team player to solve any problem. As "Mr. Fix It" he'd spent 12 years being his company's most reliable problem solver - taking on any task or project, most of them well outside his role.

That can do attitude made him valuable, until he began to feel stuck. He'd gone for several promotions and come up empty, even though his boss had sway.

What Tom discovered, was his boss was secretly blocking his promotion opportunities. The reason? "We need you right where you are - you're too valuable to move up."

12 years of being the company's most reliable problem solver. 12 years of early mornings, late nights, and sacrificed weekends. All because Tom believed being the "get shit done" person made him indispensable.

He was right. And that was the problem.

Here's what really happens when you become known as the person who "gets shit done":

1. Every crisis becomes your crisis
2. Your calendar fills with other people's emergencies
3. Your actual job becomes secondary to fixing problems
4. You feel important, needed, respected
5. Your boss sleeps better at night

But while you're putting out fires, your career is quietly burning to the ground.

Tom discovered this the hard way. His boss had been actively preventing his advancement for 3 years. Not because Tom wasn't qualified - but because losing him would expose how much the department relied on his heroics.

The truth? Being the office firefighter might feel like a badge of honor, but it's actually a pair of handcuffs.

Your reliability becomes your prison. Your competence becomes your cage.

I see this pattern constantly with my clients. High-performers who've mastered saying "yes" to everything, only to watch their peers advance while they stay stuck solving the same problems year after year.

Here's what Tom did to break free (and what I teach my clients):

1. He started documenting every "emergency" request
2. He created systems to handle recurring problems
3. He trained others to use these systems
4. He began saying "no" strategically
5. He focused on high-visibility projects that showcased leadership (not just problem-solving)

Within 6 months, Tom had positioned himself for a role that his boss couldn't block. Today, he runs global operations for a competitor - making 2.5x his previous salary.

But here's what's most important: Tom now controls his time, his career trajectory, and his future.

If you recognize yourself in Tom's story - if you're the person everyone relies on but somehow keeps getting passed over - let's talk.

I help corporate heroes break free from the "get shit done" trap and design careers that reward their excellence instead of exploiting it.

Light that 🔥,

​
Mike

P.S. If this resonated, I help successful professionals break their corporate dependence and build self-directed lives. Book a call here: https://calendly.com/gardon/freedom-scan-chat​
​