The Trappings of Success

Imagine you have made decisions which have led you to some form of success. Perhaps you joined a company entry-level and were promoted to a position that pays reasonably well with a title that looks good on your CV. Maybe you built your own business or developed a clientele as a freelancer and business is good. You may even have exceeded your own expectations of how far you could progress in your career in a particular time frame. Now imagine you have all this but still feel unfulfilled or even deeply unhappy. What would you do?

Life unfolds through the choices we make, each choice accompanied by its own set of tradeoffs. It's the classic dilemma: earning a substantial income at the expense of time spent with loved ones, enjoying a luxurious lifestyle while grappling with stress, or climbing the corporate ladder while yearning for a different path. Sometimes we acknowledge these tradeoffs, sometimes we rationalize them, and sometimes we simply ignore them. Over time, commitments pile up—financial responsibilities, familial obligations—raising the question: when is it too late to change course?

I've confronted this very dilemma at pivotal moments in my own journey—departing from a company I helped build, stepping back from the corporate career to pursue coaching. Uncertain of what lay ahead, I knew continuing down the same path wasn't an option. My wife faced a similar crossroads just a year ago, relinquishing a successful career without a clear roadmap for the future. The truth is, it's never too late to change, and what you give up may not be as important as you currently believe. 

There is no one right way to find success and happiness. Sometimes we simply forget to define these for ourselves. Along the way external influences may have distracted us or we let our fears guide our decisions. It takes courage to get our lives back in alignment with our values but if you feel trapped by your success then it’s time to ask yourself some questions. Can you be happy with the life you are living? What do you really want? Why do you do what you do? Look within and if you have trouble working through these questions a coach can help you.  

Everyone has potential for positive change and sometimes the success we are chasing is not what we really want. If you feel trapped the truth will set you free and the right questions will get you there. Don’t be afraid of what you might find.