But career coach Celia Currin says reading the right books and articles can help significantly.
At a recent New York Women in Communications, Inc. event, Currin shared her three must-reads for anyone trying to move forward in their career.
"These are for anyone who's trying to build a long-lasting career and be thoughtful about it," she tells Business Insider.
Here's what Currin - who has an MBA from Harvard; was the first female editor of Harvard's weekly newspaper Harbus; and has held senior roles at Dow Jones and The Wall Street Journal - thinks all ambitious career builders should be reading: