What’s stopping you from moving ahead in your career? It might not be a lack of skill or opportunity, but a handful of silent habits that are holding you back. Ghazal Alagh, co-founder of Mamaearth and one of India’s most influential entrepreneurs, recently revisited an old list she had scribbled years ago — and what’s striking is how relevant it still feels today.
Ghazal Alagh is the Co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Honasa Consumer Pvt Ltd (parent company of Mamaearth). Her company surpassed Rs 2,000 crore in revenue in FY25. Recently, taking to LinkedIn she shared that ahead of a team offsite, she pulled out those notes and shared five things she made a conscious effort to stop doing. These weren’t big, dramatic changes — just simple, everyday habits that often go unnoticed but have a huge impact over time.
At the top of the list? Overthinking. According to her, working hard is important, but without balance and clarity, burnout becomes inevitable. She also flagged the fear of failure, a mindset that she claims keeps people from acting on good ideas simply because they feel scary.
Another trap: procrastination. Waiting to feel “ready” can mean never starting at all. A single small step, according to her, is often enough to build momentum.
Ghazal also touched on the habit of self-doubt. Confidence, she believes, isn’t something you’re born with — it’s something you build like any other skill. And finally, she warns against the habit of saying yes to everything. Instead, she suggests saying yes only to your priorities and learning to say no to anything that pulls you away from them.
Internet reacts
Many netizens resonated deeply with Ghazal Alagh’s post, calling it a timely reminder of how unlearning old habits is just as important as picking up new skills. Several people reflected on how treating confidence as a skill — rather than a gift — has helped them grow. Others shared that learning to say “no” more intentionally has been a game-changer in their careers. One person pointed out that those who are most successful often make the most mistakes, gaining insight from what didn’t work rather than just chasing what did.
Ghazal Alagh is the Co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Honasa Consumer Pvt Ltd (parent company of Mamaearth). Her company surpassed Rs 2,000 crore in revenue in FY25. Recently, taking to LinkedIn she shared that ahead of a team offsite, she pulled out those notes and shared five things she made a conscious effort to stop doing. These weren’t big, dramatic changes — just simple, everyday habits that often go unnoticed but have a huge impact over time.
At the top of the list? Overthinking. According to her, working hard is important, but without balance and clarity, burnout becomes inevitable. She also flagged the fear of failure, a mindset that she claims keeps people from acting on good ideas simply because they feel scary.
Another trap: procrastination. Waiting to feel “ready” can mean never starting at all. A single small step, according to her, is often enough to build momentum.
Ghazal also touched on the habit of self-doubt. Confidence, she believes, isn’t something you’re born with — it’s something you build like any other skill. And finally, she warns against the habit of saying yes to everything. Instead, she suggests saying yes only to your priorities and learning to say no to anything that pulls you away from them.
Internet reacts
Many netizens resonated deeply with Ghazal Alagh’s post, calling it a timely reminder of how unlearning old habits is just as important as picking up new skills. Several people reflected on how treating confidence as a skill — rather than a gift — has helped them grow. Others shared that learning to say “no” more intentionally has been a game-changer in their careers. One person pointed out that those who are most successful often make the most mistakes, gaining insight from what didn’t work rather than just chasing what did.
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