Employees who consistently earn promotions don’t wait to be assigned projects. They identify areas for improvement and take the initiative to fix them. It’s as if they have an internal drive to solve problems—not for recognition, but because they genuinely care about making things better.
On the other hand, employees who ask for projects often have the wrong mindset. Typically, they’re seeking recognition rather than demonstrating true ownership or initiative.
If you’re interested in doing more project work, here are some thoughts that usually drive me to take action: I focus on aspects of the job or processes that frustrate me—things I find inefficient, time-wasting, or stupid. Those are the areas I’m most motivated to improve.