Welcome to the 4-part mini-series dedicated to helping corporate executive women create their “And Life,” a life of career success and personal fulfillment. Last week we identified why we have started feeling trapped in our current lives. Today let’s address the elephant in the room, why we want more out of life.
Why do you want more?
Now if you immediately said to yourself, “I am grateful for what I have, I don’t want more” then listen up.
As high-achievers, we don’t say “we want more.” We say “I am working for more, I am pushing for more, I am striving for more.” We don’t “want” for things, we put it in achiever terms and we go after more. So Step #1 in this process, answer these questions:
- Do you look at your life and wish you had more time to spend with those you love?
- Do you appreciate all that you have and more but tell yourself this is as good as it gets because you can’t selfishly ask for more?
- Do you never feel satisfied, to the point that you are always striving for the next promotion, next project, etc.?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then the reality is that you want more.
But here’s the key point to this, which is actually step #2, consciously acknowledging what you’re asking for more of.
You’re not asking for more success, you’re asking for more happiness. They are not the same things!
You can’t feel frustrated, ashamed, or ungrateful for wanting more when you’re asking for more of something you don’t already have.
Success and happiness are two separate life events.
So when we want more, we tell ourselves we don’t deserve it because we already have so much. But know this, wanting more doesn’t mean:
- You failed
- You signed up for this life of success without fulfillment
- You’re the only one
- People who love you want you to be miserable (they just don’t understand why you are not happy already)
Wanting more is normal. Wanting happiness and fulfillment is normal. Your goal is to let go of the internal conflict that you can’t “want more” happiness because you’re ungrateful.
Remember, you’re asking for something you don’t currently have.
Ready to take action and start working toward career success and personal fulfillment?
Get your worksheets for this mini-series and start creating your “And Life.”
Be Legendary!