All your successes have a half-life ⏳

There is a half-life to all your accomplishments.

What do I mean?

There will be a point where the luster of being ex-Google, ex-Meta or ex-McKinsey fades.

The positive afterglow and halo effect of having a big brand name on your CV is very real.

Why do you think so many ex-McKinsey, BCG or Bain consultants end up in the C-suite of so many major companies?

But if you haven't done so, at some point you need to start building your success in the present (and into the future) - instead of relying on your past successes.

Your badge of honor as an ex-Google employee might still be fresh at 9 months out, but it starts becoming a problem if 9 years later your primary professional success is still "ex-Google guy"

You'll notice that I put ex-Reuters in my LinkedIn headline.

That's a deliberate marketing move on my part because I know Reuters is a fairly well known and respected international brand name.

But my last day with that company was more than 7 years ago.

So while I put "ex-Reuters" in my headline and in my outreach, I do so primarily to catch the attention of my audience and prospects.

You never get the chance to talk to someone if you can't even catch their attention in the first place.

I've learned and grown a lot professionally since I left that job in 2016. So while it's useful to have that international brand on my CV, I make sure to continually update my skills and meet new people to ensure I'm still relevant in today's marketplace, as well as going forward.

So...make sure you're not living off past glory and past professional pedigree.

There is a half-life to your professional accomplishments and it's ticking away.

Go create something new.

Originally published at https://www.richmondwong.com