Nothing will destroy, delay, or diminish a career like impatience. Yet millions of workers quit their jobs every month because they haven't gotten a promotion. It's natural to want to make the most out of one's career--after all, we spend more time working than any other activity in our busy lives. But the stark reality is that job-hopping in search of advancement and fulfillment may actually have the opposite effect.

So what's the best way to "get promoted?" According to Rick Whitted, it's about outgrowing your space--making your current job bigger and bigger until management gives you a...