Rule #19. Simply Stop Complaining.

Employees and leaders no one owes you anything!

I’ve heard more complaints in the workplace than I’ve seen actual work getting done. And yes, I get it—complaining can create social connections and serve as an easy conversation starter. But it’s also a fast track to a toxic environment. It’s how you end up sharing secrets that aren’t yours to share and dragging people in the wrong direction.

Let’s be real for a moment. Everyone seems to think they deserve promotions and salary increases every few months just because they did one project well. But here’s the thing: that project? It’s literally the job you were hired to do. So, it’s time to reevaluate your attitude toward the workplace, regardless of the role you’re in. You’re already getting paid, and no one should have to beg you to do your job. No one owes you anything extra for fulfilling the responsibilities you signed up for.

I’ve personally learned how quickly negative people around me can impact my mood and my decisions. It doesn’t matter how much I care about someone—my first decision is always to remove the negative and complaining attitude from my close circle if I want to keep growing and moving forward. It’s hard, I know, because approximately 70% of people around us are negative. But you have to watch out for that.

If you really want to complain, bring solutions with you. Otherwise, it’s just noise. Complaints without solutions don’t help—they waste time. If you see a real issue, be ready to discuss how to fix it. That’s how you turn a complaint into something productive.

Complaining not only wastes time, but it also creates an expectation that things should be handed to you just because you’re there. Instead of complaining, focus on doing your job well, adding value, and finding ways to improve yourself and the work you do. That’s how you truly earn respect, promotions, and raises—not by expecting them just because you showed up.

So, the next time you catch yourself or someone else complaining, take a step back. Ask yourself if the complaint is productive or if it’s just dragging you and others down. Remember, no one owes you anything.

The sooner you accept that, the sooner you’ll start seeing real progress in your career and personal life.