Hope is not a promotion strategy

Hope is a dangerous thing. Especially in performance reviews.
Here are three things I’ve learned when you aim for something awesome and instead get a lesson in humility :)

Promotions, bonuses, and raises are outcomes, not goals. Tie your ambition to those, and you’re at the mercy of calibrations, and budgets. Instead, set goals around becoming so good they CAN’T IGNORE YOU. Focus on owning your craft and enriching your soul with the progress you see every day, not with a one-time reward dictated by a spreadsheet. (Julie Zhuo says it better, but you get the gist.)

A good manager is a rare find. If you have one, cherish them. Not just as a boss but as a human who sees you—your potential, your struggles, your wins that didn’t make it to the company-wide email. The kind of manager who doesn’t just push you forward but pulls you up. Who fights for your case behind closed doors, reminds you of your worth when self-doubt creeps in, and—on the days you want to rage-quit—sends you a “Let’s talk” message instead of “It was a tough decision this time”

Finally, make it impossible to ignore you next time. If this review cycle leaves you with a pile of feedback, sit with your manager, get hyper-specific on what success actually looks like, and turn it into a game plan they are thrilled to see you execute. Then? Go all in. Build things so sharp naysayers sit up and take notice. Make sure, when the next review rolls around, the decision isn’t a debate—it’s a no-brainer.

So if this review didn’t go your way, take a deep breath. This isn’t the final score. You’ve got time, talent, and the drive to make the next one yours.