McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski just went viral for saying what most people are thinking but nobody wants to admit: "Nobody cares about your career as much as you do."

In a recent Instagram video titled "Tough Love with the McDonald's CEO," Kempczinski delivered career advice that's been making waves across social media—and not everyone's happy about it.

What the CEO Actually Said

Here's the full quote that's got everyone talking:

"This is the career advice I would give you. Or advice, I would give you if I wasn't afraid to hurt your feelings. Are you ready for it? Have a thick skin. The advice I would give is, remember, nobody cares about your career as much as you do. So this idea that there's somebody out there who's looking out for you, who's gonna make sure that you get that opportunity, can put you in the right thing. Great if it happens, but at the end of the day, nobody cares more about your career than you do. So you've got to own it. You've got to make things happen for yourself."

Kempczinski, who's led McDonald's since 2019 and has nearly 50,000 Instagram followers, regularly shares career advice on his social media. But this particular message hit a nerve.

The Internet Had... Thoughts

The comments section became a battleground of perspectives:

The skeptics pushed back: "Coming from a guy who was given handouts his entire life." "The only people that get ahead sign the front of the check, not the back."

The realists agreed: "He is right. No one is coming to save you. It's your life folks."

The mixed reactions reveal something interesting: people want to believe someone's looking out for them, even when deep down they know it's not true. That tension between what we want and what actually is? That's where the real career advice lies.

Here's the Truth That Makes This Career Advice Sting

Kempczinski's message isn't about privilege or being cold-hearted. It's about recognizing a fundamental reality: in your career, you are your own best advocate. Your manager has their own career to worry about. HR is managing hundreds of employees. Your company has quarterly targets to hit.

You? You only have one career to manage. Yours.

According to Fortune's recent analysis, this career advice resonates particularly with Gen Z workers facing a cooling job market. When millions of young professionals are classified as NEET (not in employment, education, or training), waiting for someone else to champion your career becomes a luxury nobody can afford.

The career change advice isn't "be ruthless." It's "be intentional."

5 Ways to Actually Take Ownership of Your Career

Enough abstract philosophy. Here's how to put this career advice into action:

1. Stop Waiting for Permission to Advocate for Yourself

Your manager isn't going to tap you on the shoulder and say "you deserve a raise." They're busy, and unless you speak up, they might assume you're content.

Do this instead:

• Document your wins quarterly (projects completed, problems solved, money saved)

• Schedule regular check-ins to discuss your career growth—not just project updates

• When opportunities arise, explicitly say "I'm interested in this" rather than hoping someone notices

Career advice from people who've climbed the ladder? They asked. Repeatedly.

2. Build Your Own Skills, Don't Wait for Training Programs

Company learning budgets get cut. Training programs get delayed. Your skill development can't wait on corporate calendars.

Do this instead:

• Identify the top 3 skills needed for your next role

• Find free or low-cost ways to learn them (YouTube, Coursera, industry blogs)

• Apply new skills immediately in your current role—don't wait for the "perfect" project

As Kempczinski mentioned in another video, he dreamed of being a professional soccer player but pivoted when he realized his athletic capability wasn't there. He didn't wait for someone to hand him a new path—he created one, starting by washing dishes at 16 and building from there.

3. Manage Your Reputation Like a Brand

Your career isn't just about what you do—it's about what people think you do. And if you're not shaping that narrative, someone else is.

Do this instead:

• Share your project wins in team meetings (briefly, not obnoxiously)

• Volunteer for visible projects that align with where you want to go

• Send brief update emails to stakeholders showing your progress

• Connect with people in other departments—your next opportunity might come from somewhere unexpected

This career change advice matters especially if you're thinking about pivoting industries. Building a reputation for specific skills makes you transferable.

4. Create Your Own Opportunities Through "Strategic Yes"

Kempczinski told LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky: "To be a yes person is way better than to be a no person. So as those career twists and turns happen, the more that you're seen as someone who's willing to say yes and to go do something, it just means you're gonna get that next call."

But this isn't about saying yes to everything and burning out.

Do this instead:

• Say yes to projects that build skills you need for your next move

• Say yes to visibility opportunities (presenting, leading initiatives)

• Say no to busywork that doesn't advance your goals

• When you say yes, deliver excellent work—that's how you get the next opportunity

The career advice here? Strategic yes means intentional yes.

5. Have a Career Plan B (and C) That You Actually Work On

Your company could restructure tomorrow. Your industry could shift. Your role could be automated. Hoping for stability is not career advice—it's wishful thinking.

Do this instead:

• Keep your resume updated (update it every 3-6 months)

• Maintain relationships with recruiters and industry contacts

• Know what adjacent roles you could pivot to if needed

• Set aside time each month to learn about industry trends

Career change advice for the modern market? Optionality is security.

The Part Nobody Mentions: This Is Exhausting

Let's be real: managing your career like this is tiring. It would be nice if someone else did care about your career as much as you do. It would be great if loyalty and hard work automatically led to promotions.

But that's not the game. And pretending it is? That's how you end up stuck, resentful, and wondering why nothing ever changes.

The career advice that actually works requires accepting reality first, then acting strategically within it.

What This Means for Your Career Right Now

Kempczinski's message is uncomfortable because it puts responsibility squarely on your shoulders. No one's coming to save you. No one's secretly planning your promotion. No one's tracking your career development except you.

But here's the flip side of that career advice: you have more control than you think.

You don't need anyone's permission to upskill. You don't need approval to network. You don't need a formal program to start building the career you want. Those who treat their career like a business they're running—actively managing, strategically planning, consistently investing—those are the people who end up where they want to be.

The rest wait for someone to care about their career as much as they do. They're still waiting.

Your Next Move

Whether you're plotting a career change, trying to level up in your current role, or just figuring out what's next—the career advice is the same: own it.

Stop waiting for perfect timing. Stop hoping someone notices your potential. Stop assuming someone's keeping track of your contributions. Start managing your career like the most important project you'll ever work on. Because it is.

Ready to take control of your career journey? That's exactly why we're building Navi—to give you the tools and community you need to navigate your career with confidence, make strategic moves, and stop waiting for someone else to care as much as you do.

We're launching soon. Join the waitlist at trynavi.com to get early access.

Want to connect with others who are taking ownership of their careers? Join our Discord community where people share real career advice, celebrate wins, and help each other navigate the messy reality of modern work.

Nobody's coming to save you. But you're not alone in figuring it out.