THE HIDDEN COST OF BEING “THE RELIABLE ONE”

A few years back, I stepped into an inventory role because things were falling apart. The person running it was overwhelmed, mistakes were stacking up, and the frustration was spreading fast. So, I did what most high performers do, I stepped up. I learned it, fixed it, and eventually took over everything.

At the time, I thought I was just being helpful. I didn’t see how much structure, planning, and flat-out heavy lifting I was actually doing. I didn’t realize the amount of value I was providing… because I was too busy doing the work to notice the impact.

Fast forward, I applied for a Department Manager role in a different part of the company. What I didn’t realize was how my reliability had created a trap: I couldn’t leave until I trained the people replacing me.

Eight months later, the new team was still overwhelmed, even with all the training.

That’s when it hit me: I wasn’t stuck because I wasn’t capable. I was stuck because I had become the reliable one, the person who could always be counted on to carry the load no one else wanted to handle. And when you’re the one holding everything together, you’re rarely the one being moved forward.

This is the hidden cost high performers never talk about: Your reliability becomes invisible. Your impact gets normalized. Your potential gets delayed because you’re too valuable right where you are.

The truth is, I never talked about the value I brought to inventory. I didn’t describe the improvements, the structure, the systems, or the sheer amount of work I absorbed.

No one could truly see it.

All they saw was that things stopped breaking. They saw stability. They saw reliability.

And even when the company needed me in a different role, they still didn’t see the full impact. A new team stepped in… and even then, the weight of the role overwhelmed them.

The work spoke loudly — but I never spoke for it.

I became the safety net, but I was never my own advocate. Never my own amplifier. Never my own proof of value.

Now, the real question becomes:

How do you unstick yourself when the very thing that makes you excellent is what keeps you in place?

Here’s the lesson I had to learn the hard way: If you don’t articulate your value, people will only see your reliability — not your capability.

Reliability keeps you in place. Capability moves you forward.

The first principle isn’t just “stop being the safety net.” It’s this:

Start naming the value you create.

Start showing what you’ve built.

Start being seen for your strategic impact — not your ability to absorb pressure.

If this feels too real, comment “unstuck” or send me a DM with “unstuck.” And if you’re ready to move now instead of waiting, book a discovery call and we’ll build your plan today.

— Stephen

www.myndsetgrowth.com