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Dear Young Corporate Person,

Actually, today this one is for me.

Note to self: I know there are days when you feel behind. Days when you look at your plans, your qualifications, your ambitions, and wonder why you are not where you thought you would be. I know there are moments when the gap between where you are and where you want to be feels bigger than your progress.

But pause for a second.

You may not be where you studied to be. You may not be where you hoped to be by now. But you are certainly not where you used to be.

So, chin up.

Be kind to your current self. This version of you is doing the heavy lifting. This version is carrying the disappointments, learning the lessons, gaining the experience, and building the resilience that your future self will be grateful for. In less than a decade, you’ll probably read this message again from an office, boardroom, or position you can’t fully imagine today.

Wining suits you, but growth does too.

I need you to keep your chin up so that when the next season arrives, you don’t show yo as your old self. Don’t let discouragement make you smaller. Don’t let temporary delays convince you that you’re standing still.

As Katiso said this morning “We are moving forward. The reverse gear is broken, so you have no choice but to move forward”

So for now, without becoming complacent, keep going. Keep learning. Keep showing up. Keep trusting God.

Chin up, Lerato.

Signed,

Lerato Moepye, Chief Executive Officer, 2036

PS: We made it child. The things that kept you awake at night eventually became stories you told to encourage other people.

For our society to thrive, and for our communities to grow stronger, we need to pass down what we’ve learned to the people around us

You don’t need to start a podcast or a blog. But when the moment presents itself to impart knowledge, take it.

I have no problem with you being the first in your first or friendship circle to access something. My grievance starts when you are the ONLY for too LONG.

Stop gatekeeping lessons. Stop gatekeeping opportunities.

Yes, you got hurt learning some of those things. Yes, it took time. But in this ecosystem, not everyone needs to carry the same cross when you can simply share the spoils.

If you know a quicker way to get through a project, share it. If you’ve cracked how to navigate the system, share it. If you’ve figured out tools that make you better, share them when your symbiotes.

As for me, thank you to my keystone species. The people God used to position me where I am today.

NB: This is not a call to overshare blindly. Have discernment. Know what to share, where to share it, and with whom.

But where you can, pass the baton

We talk a lot about competence in the workplace. Being prepared, skilled, and reliable. But competence alone is not always what moves your career forward.

Boldness is.

The willingness to speak, to ask to step forward; that’s often what separates those who are noticed from those who remain in the background.

God encourages a spirit of boldness.

Not arrogance. Not entitlement. But the quiet confidence that allows you to step forward, speak up, and take up space in alignment with who you are called to be.

And here’s a truth we don’t say enough in corporate: some people have received opportunities not because they were the most qualified, but because they were bold enough to ask.

They asked for the role. They asked for the meeting. They asked for the exposure. They asked for more.

meanwhile, others sat fully capable… but silent.

Even in something as structured as a presentation. Yes, you must be prepared. Yes, you must be respectful. But also: Be humble, and be bold. Own your material, stand in your thinking, speak like you believe what you’re saying.

Because if you don’t stand behind your ideas, no one else will.

Being bold doesn’t mean you’ll always get it right. But it does mean you won’t be overlooked simply because you stayed quiet.

And for some of us, that’s the real work: rewiring ourselves to choose courage over comfort, consistently.

Be bold. Even if it’s new for you.

Not just your body – but your mind, your energy, your relationships, and the systems that keep you functioning

Let me start by being a hypocrite for a minute – because I’m about to speak about something I’m still struggling to practice.

This is not advice about lowering standards or avoiding hard work. It’s about something we don’t talk about enough: the discomfort of holding two truths at the same time.

We’ve somehow convinced ourselves that rest and hard work cannot co-exist. That if you are serious, you must be always “on.” Always available. Always responding.

But that’s not true.

Yes, raise the bar. Yes, be proactive. Yes, stretch yourself. But not at the expense of your health.

Because when it’s time to rest and recover- you need to do exactly that.

I’ve seen people postpone surgeries and therapy sessions because “who is going to do my work”. Work gets done. Health gets delayed. And somehow, the promotion still doesn’t come.

That trade-off doesn’t make sense.

Maybe the real discipline is this: When you work, work wholeheartedly. So that when you rest, you don’t feel the need to explain yourself or you’re not afraid of being labeled “lazy”.

I recently saw a line that stuck with me (shout out to Kato) “The fake urgency created in corporate life for absolutely no reason is one of the worst things humans have invented“

And if I’m honest, I’ve been a victim of it too. Choosing work over my health ecosystem. Work over external relationships. Work over myself.

So here’s a reminder: Protect your health ecosystem (intentionally) because there is no version of success that is worth your health.

Disclaimer: Please note I am not a professional health advisor – Just someone who fumbled around, found out and is now trying to hydrate and stretch between emails

Every day, you are making decisions.

Some of them are loud and obvious. Most of them are quiet… and don’t feel like decisions at all.

But they are.

It’s how you engage with your colleagues. How you show up in meetings. How you respond when things don’t go your way. Whether you prioritise your growth or postpone it again. Whether you take care of your health or tell yourself “I’ll start next week.”

These are micro decisions.

Small, everyday choices that feel insignificant in the moment. But over time, they don’t stay small. They accumulate. They compound. They shape your reputation, your relationships, and ultimately your outcomes.

So if you’re thinking about where you want to go in your career, don’t only focus on the big moves. Pay attention to the small ones.

One micro decision at a time

However small your income feels (is) right now, learn to save and invest it. Not later. Not “when things are better.”

Be careful of credit cards and unnecessary loans (I learned this the hard way). Too many of us spend the early part of our careers financing the appearance of doing well instead of financing our dreams, our skills, or our future freedom. Looking successful is expensive and often short-lived.

We also compare ourselves to people who are not working the same hours, carrying the same responsibilities, or running the same race. Let go of imagined timelines.

Yes, strive for more. Aim higher. Want better. But also respect what you currently have.

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy life. Sometimes you should buy that pizza. Enjoy your money. Just make sure enjoyment doesn’t come at the cost of your future peace.

And sometimes – unpopular opinion- you don’t need to share your salary details with your loved ones. That information can unintentionally create expectations, obligations, and pressure that you are not read or able to carry yet.

As you up skill professionally, don’t neglect financial wisdom.

Disclaimer: Not a financial advisor. Just a former member of the “learned the hard way” finance club.

I’ve written about consistency. About upgrading yourself. About guarding your proximity. About speaking up.

But I’ve avoided this one because we have somehow managed to make those two worlds mutually exclusive. As if corporate ambition and faith can’t coexist. As if seeking guidance beyond yourself makes you less corporate.

We have been told this part of life must stay separate from ambition. That it doesn’t belong in corporate conversations. But I think it does.

Most people in corporate have the same information. Same meetings. Same data. Same noise. So, why do some see what others don’t?

”I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes”

I have seen it in boardrooms when pressure rises and one doesn’t flinch. In negotiations where someone won’t compromise, not from ego, but conviction.

I think sometimes the difference is more than information. It is alignment with something higher than the moment.

This thought was inspired by a recent conversation I had with the Mothas.

In many corporate discussions, topics come up that we understand well. We have done the work. We have the experience. We have formed views based on exposure and results.

Yet, we often stay quiet.

This is not always because we don’t know enough. Sometimes it’s because we want to be humble. We don’t want to seem dominant.

But humility is not silence.

Your contribution should also reflect your competence. Long story short, please shine when an opportunity presents itself.

Silence is not always a sign of wisdom. Sometimes, it simply means value is left unspoken.

Sometimes people start working and immediately stop learning – as if the qualification that got them the job will sustain them until retirement.

Corporate moves fast. Industries change. Competitors are always improving. If you are not upgrading yourself, someone else hungrier, sharper, and more informed will pass you.

I recently engaged with the former MD of Coca-Cola and he said “There is no such as too much hard work for personal development”

1. You are work in progress – permanently. Every level will require a new version of you.
2. Ignorance is not bliss in corporate- it’s liability. Someone, somewhere, benefits from what you don’t know. Decisions will be made without you simply because you don’t understand the context.
3. There are many ways to upgrade yourself: Take short courses and certificates, Read about your sector, improve your business vocabulary, Follow conversations shaping your profession.
   
4. Rest. Breaks matter. Gratitude matters. You can’t grow or absorb anything when you’re exhausted.
   
5. You can’t wing it forever. At some point, the gaps will show.

I was reminded of something powerful this week while listening to Buli Makhubo’s podcast: Consistency is character, not emotions.

We all deliver when the work is exciting and the team vibes are perfect. But careers are built in the in-between:

• when the task falls outside your role,
• when the project is not your favourite,
• when you’re paired with your least favourite colleague.

Stress, disappointment, clashing styles are part of real work with real humans. When emotions run high, consistency can slip. So on those occasions, let character lead output, not mood. And try to go an extra mile.

Sometimes, the extra mile where you stand today builds range, reputation, and readiness for where you’re going next. Again, God does not waste an experience.

Perhaps we need to define our minimum deliverable standard for each commitment, even on a bad day – A clear fallback for what you’ll deliver when time, energy or emotions aren’t on your side.

And lastly, I hope your colleagues allow you to say “I am at 60% today, here’s my plan to still deliver.”

NB: This is not about stoicism or pretending you’re fine. It’s about choosing a standard that your future self can trust.