From On Edge to On Fire
How I discovered that opportunity, not just skill, is the missing piece in career growth
It's late. I'm hunched over my laptop, downing another coffee. The complete app redesign deadline looms, and I'm the only designer left in the Browser and Automation group. It didn’t feel like it then, but this was what I needed for my career.
The Early Struggles
Last year, I got a poor performance review. The main reason was my PM and I had different expectations for product design and product development. This felt strange because I was a top performer at my previous job.
“Once I have a different PM, I’ll be seen as a high performer again" I told myself. So, I switched teams. Problem solved, right? Not quite. I was in two teams where the PMs and I had similar expectations. But I still didn’t feel like I was doing great work.
Working with my career coach, we identified that my visual design skills were a blocker. So I upped my visual design game. Polishing every pixel until my eyes crossed. Things got better, but… I still felt stuck in my career growth and didn’t know why.
The Perfect Storm
Then, three things changed at once:
Designers went from embedded to centralized. This meant that designers now reported to a design lead, instead of a PM, and would work on what’s most prioritized for the product group (as opposed to just working with a specific product team).
The design team I was in shrank. Our group’s design lead left to pursue an opportunity with Geoguessr, one teammate got switched to another group to balance the numbers, and another went for a 6-week vacation. I was the only designer left.
We had a full app redesign project. All product groups had to redesign and rebuild their experience in 6 months.
This meant that I was the sole full-time designer for our product group on a high-stakes project. Panic mode.
The Turning Point
The work was intense. The deadlines were tight. I’ve never felt this stressed.
Two months into this chaos, when things were calmer, I had my first real 1:1 with my new manager (the domain’s senior design lead). I braced for impact, remembering my last performance review. Instead, he said: "You've been on fire!"
I was shocked. He praised my work’s quality and speed. No complaints. It was a complete 180 from my last review.
That’s when I realized: I needed opportunity, not just skills. This visible, high-stakes project let me show what I could really do.
The Power of Opportunity
Opportunity has a bigger impact on performance than I thought. You could be Michael Jackson, but singing and dancing in your garage won't get you very far.
Great work needs:
Critical projects that matter
Visibility with leadership
People who'll support your growth
And if you deliver, things will look up.
Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.
Advice for Stuck Designers
Don't wait for luck like me. Create your opportunity with the Magic Loop, courtesy of Ethan Evans. It’s a simple process:
Excel in your current role
Ask how you can help your manager
Do what they ask well
Request career-building work
Deliver results
Rinse and repeat from 4
This works because helpful people get more opportunities to help.
The Complete Picture
I made a common designer mistake: focusing too much on craft while missing strategic opportunities. You need both. Master your skills, but also position yourself for success.
Ask yourself:
Are you developing skills AND seeking opportunities?
Are you connecting with people who lead important projects?
Do you volunteer for challenging problems others avoid?
The perfect storm that hit me was accidental. Yours doesn't have to be. You can create your own storm – just make sure you're ready to weather it when it comes. And have your coffee ready.
