I’m grateful and nervous to kick this off. Thank you for being an early subscriber and coming on this journey with me.

In This Week’s Newsletter:

• Clear-Eyed Intro: Thank you for taking this journey with me

• Clear-Eyed Perspective & Action: Say what you want

• Clear-Eyed Journey: Me! Winston Tuggle

Ready to take a step towards unlocking your full potential in 5 minutes?

Here we go!

Whether you signed up out of curiosity, interest, or a desire to make fun of me for doing this, I appreciate your joining me on this journey.

Through my career journey and experience, I’ve learned a lot. I want to share my lessons with you in hopes that they can be helpful on their journey. I also believe there are lessons in every person’s story. I aim to bring those lessons to life so we can all learn from one another.

Although each week’s newsletter may not directly address you, I hope something you read can help you unlock your potential and take a step toward career success.

I’m typically honest, straightforward, and a little goofy. I’ll try to make each newsletter as short, engaging, and relatable as possible. I’ll also include tactical actions you can apply immediately.

Thank you for being among the first 100 people to join me on this journey. I look forward to continuing to build this community over time. Let’s go!!!

Clear-Eyed Perspective

I’ll Tell You What I Want, What I Really Really Want

(Try getting this song out of your head for the rest of the day..I dare you)

A few years back, I was two years into a role, feeling ready for more responsibility and a higher salary. I loved my company and didn’t want to leave, but I was the only one who knew I felt this way.

Then, another company approached me with a senior role, a significant raise, and a prestigious title. Although my gut told me it wasn’t the right fit, the title and the money were tempting.

After a series of conversations, I received an offer that was tough to turn down. It brought a higher salary and a flashy title.

I should go for it, right?

But when I informed my manager I was planning to leave, her reaction surprised me. She was shocked and told me she thought I was happy and engaged—because, truthfully, I was.

In that conversation, I learned I was a top performer (hello, imposter syndrome!) and that they wanted me to stay. She asked me to return the next day with a list of what I needed to stay.

The next day, I put it all out there—something I’d never done before. It was uncomfortable, but I requested more money and a clear path to a senior title. They delivered.

Why hadn’t I just said something sooner?

Why We Hold Back

The ones who speak up and get what they want are typically the most empowered (and entitled). The rest of us fear appearing self-serving or entitled.

That’s the wrong perspective. Expressing what you want could unlock something you didn’t even know was possible.

How could my manager have known I wanted more if I never shared it? She wasn’t in my head, and I couldn’t expect her to be.

What Should You Do?