Michael Wade lists out seven career killers. I’ve been guilty of all of them although I’m definitely better at 5-7. Number 1 is my biggest problem.

1. Fear of failure. The opportunity-killer. Careers are made by seizing opportunities.

2. Lack of judgment. Just make sure you don’t seize every opportunity. An open door sometimes leads to the basement.

3. Fear of success. Beware if you notice that whenever success is within reach, you choose to re-tie your shoe laces or reassess your strategy.

4. Perfectionism. You want to do excellent work but a quest for perfectionism can be paralyzing.

5. Indiscretion. If saying something will bring intense pleasure, it may be time to edit your words or to embrace an old ally named Silence.

6. Sloth. Do your research and get the job done. (Repeat)

7. Unreliability. You don’t need to be a wizard, but it pays enormously to be known as a reliable performer.