“People made their mind up about me ages ago—and nothing I do seems to change it.”
You’ve grown.
You’ve taken on more. You’ve stepped up. You’ve levelled up.
But others still treat you like the person you used to be.
The junior.
The safe pair of hands.
The steady support act—but never the lead.
You’re still being seen through an old lens. And it’s getting in your way.
What This Feels Like
- You feel boxed in—by assumptions you didn’t create
- You start doubting whether change even matters
- You watch others get opportunities you know you’re ready for
It’s not just frustrating. It’s stagnating.
And here’s the real danger: you start reinforcing the very label you want to escape, just by playing the role they expect of you.
Three Steps to Start Rewriting the Story
You can’t change their mind in one move—but you can begin to shift what they see.
1. Break the pattern—visibly
Do something that doesn’t match “who you were.”
Volunteer for something high-stakes.
Speak up early in a meeting.
Bring a bold proposal with confidence.
Anything that disrupts the old script—even slightly—creates a pause. That’s when people start noticing change.
2. Talk about what you’re working on—especially what’s next
Let people see who you’re becoming:
“Right now I’m focusing on getting better at X…”
“I’ve been pushing myself to take on more Y…”
Future-focused language reframes your image from fixed to evolving.
3. Ask for stretch opportunities directly
Even just asking sends a new signal:
“I’d like to step into more strategic work—what would you need to see from me?”
It positions you as proactive, ambitious, and committed.
And it forces people to acknowledge that you’ve moved on.
When the Label Starts to Shift
You begin to feel like the room is catching up with you.
You don’t have to prove yourself constantly—just show up consistently as the person you now are.
And eventually, people stop seeing who you were…and start responding to who you’ve become.