A few years ago I read a quote from Bill Gates which I really liked (and I’ve heard several variations of it since then so it’s nothing new), about how you tend to overestimate what you can achieve in 1 year, and underestimate what you can achieve in 10 years.

Now in my 30’s, many of my peers in college or in my first job have been in the workforce for about 10+ years, give or take. Some progressed linearly over the years, some stagnated, and some became really successful through many career breakthroughs. While they come from different backgrounds, from my observation, the main difference between them can be boiled down to one thing–whether or not they put themselves on the path of growth.

The world is moving faster, and most people at the 10-year mark in their careers would not have imagined themselves doing what they do today, but the ones who greatly exceeded their own expectations were the ones who seek to improve themselves everyday and constantly find areas for growth. The logic is simple–it’s impossible to predict the possible paths that open up in the next 10 years, and you will encounter so many along the way. If you stayed exactly on the path you planned, you have acted on very outdated information. The probability is simply much higher than a better path opened up along the way, if only you’d notice and be willing to take it.

While this may sound stressful or putting too much pressure on yourself, it really isn’t. If you’re just starting out in your career, especially in the midst of an economic, and wondering how you’re gonna succeed in a challenging world, just know that as long as you’re thinking of how to be better on a regular basis, you will likely exceed your own expectations of what you can do in 10 years.

The concept of improving yourself by 1% everyday is not new, but needs to be evangelised more. Many focus on big breakthroughs or milestone achievements, but the real difference is made in the day-to-day. No one explains this better than James Clear in Atomic Habits.

Things rarely turn out the way you expect it to be over the long term. The good news is, it’s often better.