Success Has A Price

I know you want to achieve all of your goals. You want to make more money. You want to get promoted. You want to be fast-tracked on that career path, and you want all of the accolades and perks.

But all of the success you are craving comes with a price. The question is, are you willing to pay it?

I've missed countless events, dinners, family getaways, and more. All because I deemed the work to be more important. I once prioritized a pilot program launch over a spring break trip. I missed Legoland, the zoo, SeaWorld, dinners, memories. I once prioritized client events over a family trip to the lake.

Travel is another thing that doesn't get discussed enough. For a period of time when my son was little, I was on the road several weeks per month — 75 hotel nights in one year. Those who haven't done it glamorize business travel, but there is nothing glamorous about it.

There have been years where I sat watching TV or sporting events while staring at my laptop. When you're in meetings all day long, you gotta get the work done at night.

On the outside, I assume you would say I've been successful. But all of that success comes with a price.

I had a full-on panic attack one night in the middle of the biggest growth period of my career. I spent time with a therapist for a year to navigate my stress load. I went on blood pressure medication in my late 20s when I was in shape and perceived to be healthy. The list goes on.

Success has a price. You don't hear that part on LinkedIn.

You see the wins, the titles, the highlights. But you don't see the cost behind the scenes. You don't see the nights when your brain won't shut off, the guilt from missing something important, or the quiet toll it takes on your body.

None of this is meant to scare you. But it is meant to make you choose consciously. Every yes comes with a no attached to it. Every win comes with a trade-off.

So when you say you want the next level, ask yourself what you're willing to give up to get there. And more importantly, ask yourself if you're still going to like who you are when you do. Because if you're not careful, you'll get everything you said you wanted — and quietly lose the things you never meant to trade for it.