Step 8.4: Forward.
The biggest lie we tell ourselves after landing a new role? "I've arrived."
Here's the truth: your Next Level isn't your Final Level. It's just a better base camp for your next climb.
Most important: the Innovation Economy doesn't care about your current success. While you're celebrating this win, someone's already building whatever comes next. The technology that will disrupt your industry is already in beta. The skills that will matter in five years are being developed now.
“Forward. Never straight.”
- Lance Armstrong
One of my favorite athletes was Lance Armstrong. I loved how he disrupted a traditional sport and its hierarchies while winning 7 Tours de France. And I loved the way he always attacked. After his well-documented downfall and legal troubles were put behind him, he reinvented himself by coming clean about his past, launching a new VC firm, a new brand and multiple new podcasts while building a massive new following. His mantra throughout is the quote above, which he abbreviates with “FNS” and a crooked arrow logo.
We all have people who inspire us - who are yours?
Smart career players think like chess masters: Always several moves ahead. Not obsessing about the future, but oriented toward it.
Ask yourself: What skills will matter three roles from now? Which relationships should I be building today? What value can I create that compounds over time? Where is my industry really heading? What bets should I be making on my future?
The market rewards those who treat every role like a launching pad, not a landing pad.
Think of your career like a tech startup: You're always either growing or dying. There's no steady state. No comfortable plateau. Just continuous evolution.
Start mapping your next move while others are still celebrating their last one. Not from anxiety, but from clarity.
Remember: The best careers aren't built on big jumps. They're built on continuous, intentional progress. Because your Next Level is just the beginning of your next chapter.
The question isn't "What's next?" It's "What's after what's next?"
Your Playbook:
What's the skill you'll need three years from now that you should start building today?