Workplace Jiujitsu #2: I Was A Permanent Junior

I Was a Permanent Junior Until I Started Building My Own Feedback Loops

Years ago, I wrote technical articles for a marketing agency. I met deadlines, clients were happy, and my work got published. But I wasn't getting sharper. I was producing steady output, but I wasn't growing.

I had become a Permanent Junior.

The Trap of the Permanent Junior

Some people stay “junior” not because they’re untalented. Instead, it's because they’re stuck in systems that don't generate growth.

You’re given tasks and not missions. You’re told to execute and not to question. You’re evaluated on TPS Reports and not on impact. You're told to just do your job.

It’s easy to confuse gradual mastery of repeat tasks for growth in knowledge work, especially when no one is specifically investing in your career.

What Broke the Pattern

What changed for me? One person gave me a professional review with real feedback. It wasn't about typos. It was about structure, clarity, and why the piece even mattered. I had met a real craftsman, and it was both disarming and inspiring. I got the kind of feedback that makes you remember what the Dunning-Kruger effect is.

That conversation reframed how I saw my work. I started asking sharper questions, looking for people that could review the thinking, and I started reviewing old pieces to identify past weaknesses.

It wasn’t linear growth, but it was compounding over time.

Feedback Is a Force Multiplier

Most people need three types of feedback to grow:

Corrective: What’s not working.

Developmental: What patterns to build on.

Strategic: What direction creates the most value.

Without that feedback loop, even the most talented people plateau. With it, you accelerate faster than people expect.

The fastest way to stay junior forever is to do your job well and never ask what game you're playing.

The fastest way to grow? Build tighter feedback loops, chase signal over noise, and stay close to people who challenge your assumptions, not just your grammar.

Have you ever had a moment where someone’s feedback changed the way you think and not just how you work?

I'd love to hear it.