Unveiling the Cost of Success

As a young founder of a talent management agency, I’ve learned that success has a price. Being your own employee, exchanging time for money, and always being available to deliver results are just a few of the sacrifices I make in order to achieve success.

Being an entrepreneur in the agency business requires you to be constantly on the move. There is always a new client to take care of, a new project to complete, and new expectations to meet. At times, the pressure to perform and exceed clients’ expectations can be overwhelming. It feels like there is never enough time for personal pursuits or moments of respite.

These sacrifices are unavoidable to meet the demands of our clients, and we frequently sacrifice personal relationships, leisure time, and personal goals. This constant stress can have a negative impact on our mental health and well-being. We become so engrossed in our daily routines that our brains become saturated, and our overall satisfaction and happiness suffer as a result.

Because of the nature of my work, I realized that I have developed a transactional mindset. I was so focused on delivering results and hitting targets that I lost sight of the big picture. Conversations outside of business became scarce, and my social network became limited to colleagues and peers in my industry. I was trapped in a bubble, cut off from the rest of the world and the richness of life outside of work.

I recently had a minor surgery that forced me to take a step back and reconsider my priorities. It made me realize that losing a client or brand should not be a life and death situation for me. ‘Who am I doing all of this for?’ I wondered. The answer was simple – for myself, my team members, and my loved ones.

It is critical for founders to take a step back and reflect on why we do what we do because it is so easy to become engrossed in the daily grind and lose sight of our motivations, which eventually leads to happiness in various facets of our lives.

The mindset of becoming a machine in the pursuit of chasing a higher version of yourself, allowing life to happen to you rather than actively shaping it, is damaging. We need to get out of this mindset and regain control. It is critical to take a step back, gain a broader perspective, and align our actions with our core values and purpose. We must realise that life is bigger and more beautiful than striving for riches, and only then will we be able to find true satisfaction and fulfillment in our entrepreneurial endeavors.