Your Job Search: Effort Doesn’t Guarantee Results | Fix Your Mentality First

When ambitious professionals hit a plateau, the instinct is simple: work harder. Add more hours. Push through.

But according to my next guest, Diana Pagano, that reflex often backfires.

She argues that “work harder” is often a learned pattern that keeps people busy, burned out, and stuck. In today’s careers, knowing when to stop or pull back is a competitive advantage—not a weakness.

Diana is the author of The More Mindset. A first-generation Mexican American and former single mother, she spent years working seven days a week to survive—before realizing those same patterns were limiting her growth. After rewiring them, she became an international speaker and executive leader driving 500% revenue growth.

Today, she coaches executives and founders on the cognitive habits that shape career growth—and why effort alone eventually stops working.

Setting the Stage

People want more—especially listeners of this show (myself included). But when does that drive start working against you?

Chris shares how it’s often harder to stop than to start, especially for Career Warriors—constantly adding more, rarely pulling back.

Diana, you’ve lived this—working nonstop before realizing it was holding you back. What were those patterns, and how did you rewire them?

What We’ll Cover

• Why knowing when to stop is a competitive advantage—not a weakness
• How to recognize when it’s time to stop pushing and recalibrate
• Advice for job seekers: when to persist vs. when to pivot
• The difference between unhealthy career spiraling and productive reflection
• ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts): what they are and how they fuel career spiraling—and the antidote
• How to hit goals (even in sales-driven roles) without simply working harder
• What AI can never replicate in your career

Resources & Links

• Order Diana’s book, The More Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/More-Mindset-Mental-Extraordinary-Results/dp/1394388683/
• Connect with Diana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-pagano/
• Connect with Chris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-villanueva-cprw/
• Let’s Eat, Grandma — Resume writing services to help you stand out with clarity and confidence

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This episode is for our Career Warrior Women. Since 2004, Dr. Lois P. Frankel’s New York Times bestseller has been an essential resource for women seeking advice and empowerment to stop sabotaging their careers and get ahead in the workplace. This completely updated and revised vital new 3rd edition is everything a modern working girl needs to get what she wants.

Though the workplace looks different than it did twenty years ago, women still face considerable challenges that men do not.

In today’s episode, we discuss talking points from the 3rd edition of Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office, Dr. Lois P. Frankel teaches you how to reject the “nice girl” mentality, which manifests as a distinctive set of behaviors learned in girlhood that ultimately sabotage you as an adult, and still exists in today’s modern workplace. We’ll bring unconscious mistakes that could be holding you back in your career. Mistakes such as:

Mistake #4: Believing Negative Self-Talk. Counter negative messages with positive ones.

Mistake #26: Fear of Coming Across too Strong. Don’t dumb down, shut down, or tone down–be assertive!

Mistake #32: Not Calling Attention to Wins. You did the work, now let the people know.

Mistake #55: Poor Boundaries. If you’re going to work from home, set boundaries.

Mistake #85: Doing Instead of Leading. Picking up others’ slack becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Mistake #70: Allowing “Bropriation.” Never allow someone to claim your idea as their own.

You have the power to take control of your career without being controlling, to speak your mind while still being respected, and to chase your ambitions without fear or shame.

Get the book: https://www.amazon.com/Nice-Girls-Dont-Corner-Office/dp/1455546046

Connect with Dr. Lois Frankel on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drloisfrankel

Thanks for tuning in!

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AI is everywhere in the job search—and it’s being marketed like crazy. But if you’ve tried using it, you know the truth: it’s confusing, overwhelming, and easy to misuse.

In this episode of the Career Warrior Podcast, Chris Villanueva—Founder & CEO of Let’s Eat, Grandma—pulls back the curtain on how to use AI responsibly and strategically in your job search without losing your voice, your sanity, or your results.

Chris breaks down where AI is powerful, where it’s dangerous, and how job seekers should actually be using tools like ChatGPT across their resume, cover letters, and outreach—especially as ATS systems continue to evolve.

You’ll hear real, practical examples, including:

• How to use AI for job search lead generation
• How AI fits into a smart job search strategy (and where it absolutely doesn’t)
• A breakdown of advanced search tactics (including sourcing decision-makers) and how to ethically use that data
• How to ask AI where you should apply if you’re feeling unclear or stuck
• Using AI to check spelling, expose keyword gaps, and identify the right titles and nouns recruiters look for
• How to tailor resume summaries and cover letters for specific roles without sounding robotic
• When AI helps creativity—and when it quietly sabotages your chances

Chris also shares updates on how ATS systems are changing, what job seekers need to do differently in 2026, and why relying too heavily on AI can actually reduce intent and callbacks.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW:

👉 Get a free resume critique at letseatgrandma.com—reviewed by real experts, not AI. (You’ll also be subscribed to our newsletter for ongoing job search insights.)

AI isn’t the enemy. But using it blindly might be.

GOOGLE QUERY EXAMPLE IN THE EPISODE: site:Linkedin.com/in "VP of Operations" "Austin" "@gmail.com" OR "@yahoo.com” OR “@hotmail.com” OR “@outlook.com” OR “@aol.com” OR “@icloud.com"

CHATGPT QUERY EXAMPLE FROM THE EPISODE: Format the data below into a table with these columns: Full name, Company name, Website URL, Email, Phone Number

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