Why High-Achieving Women Feel Empty—and How to Find Real Fulfillment.
As seasoned business owners, we have spent years scaling, strategizing, and achieving impressive milestones. But success sometimes has a surprising way of leaving us feeling like something’s missing. I’ve seen it repeatedly with high-achieving women who seem to “have it all” but quietly wonder, “Is this all there is?”
When deep in the mechanics of building successful businesses, it’s easy to overlook the big vision—our legacy, our values, and what truly matters beyond the numbers. Many women over 40 who’ve put in the years and the work are now craving a shift: moving from success to significance, from growth to impact.
Here are five unconventional beliefs about success and fulfillment that can shift your perspective and help you elevate your next chapter.
1. Success Without Personal Fulfillment Is Empty
Career milestones and financial success are valuable, but they’re not everything. When success doesn’t align with what truly matters to you, it can feel hollow.
Take Tracy Reese, a celebrated designer who built a prominent career in fashion. After achieving wide acclaim, she realized her passion lay in creating a sustainable, socially impactful brand that better reflected her values. She pivoted to launch Hope For Flowers By Tracy Reese, which focused on eco-conscious fashion. Tracy’s journey underscores that real fulfillment often comes when our professional lives reflect our deepest passions and purpose.
Personal fulfillment is achieved when success aligns with what truly matters. It’s about more than income; it’s about creating a legacy that resonates with your core values.
2. More Money Doesn’t Mean More Happiness
We often assume that financial gains bring happiness, but that’s a myth. Financial success alone doesn’t guarantee true satisfaction.
I’ve worked with women who reached their revenue goals only to feel unfulfilled. They had financial security and industry recognition but felt something was missing. Many of them had been pursuing traditional markers of success without questioning if these achievements aligned with their personal values.
Chasing financial success alone is often a fast track to unfulfillment. Happiness is built on alignment with values and purpose—not just a higher income.
Financial success without a deeper purpose can leave you searching for more. It’s crucial to align your achievements with what personally matters to you.
3. Redefining Success on Your Terms Changes Everything
Society often equates success with titles, income, or influence. However, defining success by these standards can lead to a lack of fulfillment.
Consider these statistics:
1 in 3 high-achieving women over 40 report feeling “stuck.”
Over half acknowledge a gap between career success and personal happiness.
Many feel they’re just “going through the motions” despite their achievements.
The truth is that traditional success metrics don’t bring fulfillment. We often feel trapped or disconnected when we chase what “most people” value. We must redefine success to align with our vision and values to achieve deeper satisfaction.
Defining success on your own terms can be transformative. Aligning achievements with personal vision can change how you experience and enjoy your life.
4. Prioritizing Others’ Expectations Is a Mistake
99% of the time, trying to meet others’ expectations of success only leads to burnout and frustration.
Women like Tracy Reese demonstrate that building a legacy rooted in one’s values, purpose, and impact offers true satisfaction. Reese’s shift to focus on sustainability and community impact reminds us that lasting success comes from pursuing what genuinely matters, not from trying to meet industry accolades or societal expectations.
Here’s how to start redefining success:
Clarify What Success Means to You: Let your principles—not others’ standards—define your goals.
Focus on Legacy, Not Accolades: Consider the impact you want to leave behind.
Align Your Values with Every Decision: Ensure each decision reflects the life and legacy you want to build.
Fulfillment comes from setting your standards and values. When we let go of external validation, we free ourselves to pursue what resonates with us.
5. Chasing Titles and Accolades Is a Misguided Goal
Titles and accolades may be gratifying, but they rarely bring the satisfaction we seek.
Building a legacy that reflects your values is a far more rewarding pursuit. Here’s why:
It Brings Personal Fulfillment: When work aligns with personal values, we experience more satisfaction.
It Creates Impact Beyond Financial Gain: Legacy-building allows us to contribute meaningfully and leave a positive mark.
It Allows Us to Live Authentically: Pursuing a legacy lets us define success on our terms, free from societal expectations.
Legacy-building isn’t about titles or recognition. It’s about creating a life and business that’s fulfilling, impactful, and rooted in your true self.
Living and Leading with Purpose
For women over 40 who’ve achieved remarkable professional success, there’s often a pull to make the next chapter meaningful, impactful, and true to who you are. Moving from financial milestones to legacy-building is a powerful journey. By defining success on your own terms, you can build a life and career that truly resonate with your values.
Are you ready to elevate your success into something more? Let’s redefine what fulfillment means together and create a legacy that matters.