Career is all about movement. Fast, confident, and toward your goals. But how many people around you are doing everything they can to keep you in one place?

Take manipulators, for example. They’re always there, always ready. “How could you leave us?” or “Are you sure you can handle it?” — these are their favorite lines. Their goal is to hold you back. Why? It’s easier for them. While you keep pulling, they can stand still and stay comfortable.

And then there are those who pretend to be “support.” You’re almost ready to take the leap, but they feed your doubts. “What if you fail? Are you sure you’re ready to do this alone?” And just like that, you’re stuck again, thinking you can’t do it without them.

Is it scary to act? Maybe. But it’s even scarier to realize, five years down the road, that you’re still stuck in the same place. All because the “important” and “valuable” people around you kept saying, “Wait a little longer, think it through, don’t rush.”

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Stop waiting for approval. Let go of the guilt. You owe nothing to anyone except yourself.

Autonomy is not loneliness. It’s the ability to move forward on your own terms. And your environment? It’s either a lift or an anchor.

And if it’s an anchor, cut the rope.