Rethinking Success: Is it Yours or Someone Else’s?

We grow up with a checklist handed to us, often without asking for it. Own a home. Climb the corporate ladder. Earn six figures. Get an investment property. It’s the blueprint for life. The blueprint for “success”.

But here’s the thing… whose blueprint is it really?

We’re all out here chasing goals, and sometimes those goals don’t seem to quite fit. We’re ticking boxes, but something feels off.

We ask ourselves, “is this what life is all about?” or “am I going to be doing this until I’m 65?”

I have heard these phrases countless times and have observed the same sentiments on social media.

The Power of Conscious Choice

We live in a fast moving world. We’re bombarded with messages about what we should want, what we should buy, and who we should become. But rarely are we encouraged to pause. To ask ourselves, “is this truly what I want or what I’ve been told I should want?”

I want to make one thing abundantly clear. This is not about rejecting ambition or financial success. For some, climbing the corporate ladder or becoming a successful entrepreneur is deeply fulfilling.

Try asking some reflective questions to challenge whether your goals are truly yours or those that society has placed on you.

“What kind of life do I want to live?”

“What does freedom (financial or other) mean to me?”

“What am I willing to trade for more income, is it worth it?”

“Is the path I’m on going to lead to my happiness?”

Challenge the Narrative

For most of my adult life, I was walking the path well travelled. Landed a good paying job. Bought the home. Had a lavish wedding. Took extravagant holidays. Bought an investment property. Collected shiny things that whispered, “You’ve made it”.

And for a while, I did. I ticked the boxes. I joined the hustle.

Until one day, I stopped. I was completely and utterly burnt out. There was a quiet voice inside me asking, “Whose dream are you living?”

That day, I realised the narrative was not mine. I realised I could have agency over my decisions. It was the most freeing realisation and it would forever change the course of my life.

The path well travelled was not the path for me. The path less travelled was my dream and what I view as success. The path that leads to peace and contentment.

So if you’re feeling stuck, or you feel like you are living someone else’s dream - pause. Reflect, journal, talk to a friend. And remember, you are allowed to rewrite the rules.

The most powerful budget you will ever create is not about dollars and cents, it is about designing a life that feels like yours.