164 - What is Career Maximalism and Why Caring Too Much About Your Job Can Backfire

Career maximalism is a mistake that many high achieving professionals make. When you care too much about your job, you can actually become worse at it. In this video, learn what Career Maximalism is, and why this behavior is everywhere, often rewarded, and quietly working against you.

Career maximalism is when your job becomes a major source of your identity and your emotional state rises and falls based on how work is going.

It often looks like being a great employee, but there's a tipping point where it clouds your judgment, slows your decisions, and makes everything heavier than it needs to be. Sarah Doody discusses the difference between commitment and emotional over-identification, shares a Reddit thread about treating UX as a job instead of an identity, and gives three practical tips for caring deeply without making work who you are.

3 tips for avoiding the trap of Career Maximalism:

1) Build proof of your self-worth outside your job with physical challenges, creative projects, community, etc.

2) Practice emotional detachment without disengagement. Detachment isn't apathy, it's clarity.

3) Set clear standards and boundaries. When expectations are vague, everything becomes emotional.

Resources & Links Mentioned:

• Reddit thread about treating UX as a job instead of an identity
• 🎙️ Ep 163: What is Career Minimalism and How It Can Quietly Weaken Your Career

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