🤫 The Silent Career Killer #11
Holding on to old UX wins for too long | Unmasking 50 hidden threats to your UX career | part 11 of 50
👋 Hi UX friend, Marina here!
This newsletter series is where I share what I've learned during 25 years in UX about the silent career traps you may not even realize you’re falling into and show you easy ways to get break out and propel your career forward.
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Let me tell you about a conversation I had last week that made me deeply uncomfortable.
I was talking with a talented UX leader I've mentored for a couple of years.
He was explaining his team's approach to their new fintech product.
"We're using the same pattern that worked so well in our email client redesign last year," he said proudly. "You remember that one – it increased engagement by 40%."
I did remember.
It was a brilliant solution... for an email client... in 2023.
But here's what stopped me cold:
The success of that email pattern had become a security blanket, preventing my student from seeing that his NEW fintech challenge needed a fundamentally different approach!
The Past Success Trap
This isn't just about this student. I've watched numerous experienced UXers fall into what I call the "Past Success Trap" – where previous wins become invisible barriers to fresh thinking.
It's seductive because it feels like wisdom...
After all, isn't experience about knowing what works?
But here's the uncomfortable truth:
Your past successes can become your future failures if you let them calcify into unchangeable "truths."
The Hidden Cost of Yesterday's Wins
When we cling to past successes, we:
Miss emerging user behavior patterns that contradict our previous assumptions
Overlook new technological capabilities that could enable better solutions
Apply surface-level patterns without understanding the deeper principles that made them successful
But most dangerously?
We stop asking the questions that led to those breakthrough solutions in the first place!
The Four Anchors
Through my years of mentoring, I've identified the 4 ways past successes anchor us to outdated thinking:
The Portfolio Anchor
"This solution is in my portfolio, it won awards, it proves I know what I'm doing."
Result:
You become emotionally invested in defending past approaches rather than exploring new ones.
The Authority Anchor
"This worked before, so questioning it might undermine my expertise."
Result:
You stop learning because you're too busy being the expert.
The Comfort Anchor
"We know how to implement this, the team understands it, it's low risk."
Result:
Innovation becomes scarier than mediocrity.
The Identity Anchor
"This solution is part of my professional identity and reputation."
Result:
Your past successes become golden handcuffs, limiting your growth.
Breaking Free: The Success Archaeology Method
Instead of treating past successes as solutions to be replicated, try this approach: