This Career Advice From Issa Rae and Chelsea Handler Should Be Engraved on Your Coffee Mug

Issa Rae and Chelsea Handler don't allow themselves to make excuses — so neither should you. The duo takes the no-BS motto to a whole new level, accepting mistakes they've made, celebrating their wins, and pushing themselves forward and never backwards. So it should come as no surprise that the two outrageously funny TV masterminds have some super helpful career advice for others looking to make a mark as a creator or entrepreneur in the era of #MeToo.

In a panel with LinkedIn on March 7, the two shared their approach to career and happiness, emphasizing that there isn't one blueprint of success everyone should follow. If it were up to us, they'd just scrap all the projects they're working on right now and collaborate on a career-advice book — but we need Handler and Rae in television right now more than ever, so we'll just have to make due with the incredible tips below.

When asked by POPSUGAR what they would say to someone who believes there's only a limited number of seats at the table, Handler and Rae emphasized the importance of acknowledging the power of your voice. "There is only one of you," Handler said.

"This is the time where everyone has a voice," Rae added. "Where [there] are so many platforms dedicated to giving the average person a voice, so you can speak out. "

Handler also said that people make their own opportunities, referring to her own career in comedy, which stemmed from her love of, well, talking.

"I'm good at expressing myself and being honest about it," Handler said. "If that's a career then anything is a career. You can make a career out of anything. All that matters is that you care deeply about what you're doing."

From calendar apps to vision boards, it seems this generation feels they need to have a clear idea of what their next 10 years will look like in order to succeed. That's not necessarily the case for everyone, though, and Handler is the perfect example of this. While she admits she most definitely made plans to leave the waitressing job she had when she first started out, her career in comedy and TV was born out of a combination of instinct, determination, and self-reliance.

"I never had a plan," Handler said. "I'm not that kind of person. I like to see what happens, have an evolution. You're a different person every few years — be true to that and really just follow what you care about and what your passion is. It's not just about collecting a paycheck."

While Rae agrees that planning everything shouldn't be seen as someone's be-all, end-all, what worked for the Insecure creator and star was always trying to outdo her previous wins, big and small. "I like to challenge myself," Rae said. "I like to outdo the last thing I did."

You've heard it before: all you need is to find one yes in a pile of no. But while you might have this mantra saved to your Pinterest board for whenever you need that extra confidence boost, it's important to remember that rejection isn't only about the finish line — it's also about the journey there.

"A leap of faith is what leads to big things," Handler said. "You're not going to find out who you are unless you fall down a bunch. . . . you just get better at getting back up."

"Success is a moving goal post," Rae added. "You celebrate in those moments and then look at what's next . . . and how can I do it better than I did before"