Reading time: 3 minutes

Most of us grow up with a very clear idea of what a career is supposed to look like: You work hard, you move up, and at some point things are meant to fall into place. And if they don’t, the usual advice is to try harder, stay positive, or set better goals.

What rarely gets mentioned is that many careers are not actively chosen at all and before you know it, your career is kind of running on autopilot. And your subconscious mind is that autopilot working behind the scenes, driving everything you think and do.

However, it doesn’t care about your career goals at all!

Why You Keep Hitting Roadblocks

The subconscious mind isn’t focused on what you want to happen. It’s focused on what it expects to happen. And if your past has been filled with failure, rejection, or struggle, your subconscious expects more of the same, no matter how much you wish for something better.

If you have spent years believing you are “not the kind of person who gets ahead,” your brain treats that belief as a rule, not an opinion. If you have learned to play it safe, avoid risk, or stay invisible, your subconscious will keep reinforcing that pattern.

It is wired for proof, not possibility. If you’ve always struggled in your career, your brain expects that struggle to continue. It doesn’t believe success is possible for you, even if there’s an opportunity right in front of you.

How do you know if your subconscious is sabotaging your career? Here are some common signs:

• Procrastination: You put things off not because you’re lazy, but because you don’t believe the new version of you is real.
• Self-Sabotage: As soon as you get close to “success”, it starts to sabotage you. It pulls you back into your comfort zone, the one that feels “safe” even if it’s keeping you stuck. Your subconscious mind is trying to protect you from change.
• Imposter Syndrome: Even when you achieve success, you feel like a fraud, as if you’re not really deserving of what you’ve achieved.

So, what can you do to break free from autopilot and take control of your career?

It starts with how you see yourself. The biggest changes happen when you begin to believe that success is possible for you. Once your mind accepts this new version of yourself, it stops resisting and starts supporting you.

That’s also why simple affirmations often don’t work. If your subconscious doesn’t truly believe what you’re saying, it will push back. You might tell yourself, “I’m confident,” but if deep down you feel awkward or unworthy, you’ll hesitate, avoid opportunities, or even feel anxious in social or professional situations.

Instead of relying on repeating words that feel fake, visualize yourself already in the career you want. Picture yourself thriving in a role, succeeding in every project, and feeling fulfilled.