Success Doesn’t Mean Fulfilment: How to Spot the Difference
I used to think I had it made.
A calendar full of retainer clients. Steady income landing on time, every month. My name quietly behind successful brands, polished websites, and marketing campaigns. I had the dream, didn’t I?
But underneath it?
Getting back to what matters to me.
Exhaustion.
Resentment.
A weird, nagging emptiness I couldn’t quite explain.
Then came the break-up.
Not the romantic kind—the business kind. 😄
I finally said goodbye to my last retainer client. Four years of managing their digital world—email, socials, content, awards, press. I’d shown up every single day, often at the expense of my own dreams.
And when I left?
No flowers.
No card.
Just a WhatsApp message.
That moment hit me like a truck, complete with tyre tracks.
Because it wasn’t just the lack of a goodbye token that stung (okay, okay, there was a little ouch). It was the cold truth behind it all and the hunch I had all along.
I had been externally successful, but internally unfulfilled. And I had been ignoring that fact for years.
Success and fulfilment are not the same thing.
We’re taught to chase the things that “look” successful: the steady income, the big-name clients, the nice branding, the schedule full of meetings. And don’t get me wrong, those things can be great.
But if they’re not aligned with who you are, what you love, and how you want to feel in your work?
They become heavy. Hollow. Sometimes, toxic.
It took me four years for me to really see the difference. And now, from the other side of that business break-up, I want to share a few signs you might be in the wrong version of success too.
1. You dread Mondays—and not in the funny-meme way.
I used to get a tight feeling in my chest on Sunday nights. Not because I didn’t love my work, but because I’d filled my to-do list and calendar with commitments that didn’t light me up. Success without joy is a silent burnout waiting to happen.
Check-in question: Do you feel energised by your work—or are you just “getting through” your days?
2. You’re always busy, but your dreams are on hold.
Oh the irony? I was helping others build their dreams while mine sat untouched. I’d tell myself, “Just a few more months, then I’ll focus on me.” But somehow, that time never came.
Check-in question: Are you using busyness to avoid the discomfort of going after what you really want?
3. You’re successful… but resentful.
It’s an uncomfortable emotion, but it’s real. I found myself quietly resenting the work I was doing, even though I’d chosen it. That’s when I realised: success built out of obligation can feel like a cage.
Check-in question: Does your business feel like something you chose—or something that happened to you?
4. You don’t feel seen or valued.
I showed up for years. No drama. No fuss. Just consistent, solid, heart-in-the-game effort. But I wasn’t appreciated, not in a real way. And worse? I’d stopped expecting to be.
Check-in question: Are you settling for being useful instead of being valued?
5. You’ve forgotten what you actually want.
I didn’t set out to be a copywriter or social media manager, I fell into it because I could do it. Because it paid well. Because it was easy to explain to others. But it wasn’t what I wanted.
Check-in question: If no one else’s opinion mattered, what would you build?
So, what does real fulfilment look like?
It looks like space in your calendar for thinking and dreaming.
It feels like working with clients who respect your time and your talent.
It means running a business with a beating heart, not just a humming machine.
For me, that’s coaching and helping quietly ambitious founders realign their business to their vision, and purpose. It’s about cheering people on as they step into their own version of success, not one they inherited or copied.
That’s the work that feels like mine.
So here’s my gentle nudge to you…
If you’re feeling stuck, stretched, or strangely disconnected from your own “success,” it might be time to ask yourself a different question.
Not “How do I grow this thing?” but “Is this even the thing I want to grow?”
And if that feels big and messy and overwhelming—you're not alone. I’ve been there. And I can help.
If you want to chat about your business, your direction, or the dream that’s been quietly waiting at the back of your mind, my inbox is always open—or you can book a no-strings Business Brainstorm Call.
Because success can feel good. It can be calm. Aligned. Joyful.
And most of all? It can be yours.
Pictures from Unsplash.
