Beyond Early Success: Finding True Fulfillment in Your Career

Early career success may actually prevent you from trying new possibilities

Imagine you're a young professional, eager to make a name for yourself. You've always dreamed of being part of the prestigious "30 Under 30" list. But what if you don't make the cut? Does that mean you're a failure? Too often, we tie our self-worth to external recognition. We chase titles and validation, hoping to boost our personal brand. But is that what success means to you?

“We chase titles and validation, hoping to boost our personal brand. But is that what success means to you?”

 Let's take a step back and consider what truly matters. Success is about achieving personal goals, growing in your work, and finding satisfaction. It's not just about external validation. Public recognition can open doors to new networks and opportunities, but it also comes with its own challenges.

The Risks of Obsessing Over Early Success

Early career success can also have a darker side. Child prodigies, for instance, often struggle with unhappiness and pressure to maintain their exceptional performance. Take the example of Ruth Lawrence, a mathematician who entered university at age 10 and earned a Ph.D. at 18. Despite her remarkable achievements, she has spoken publicly about the emotional toll of her accelerated education and the difficulties she faced in her personal life.

 Constantly pushing yourself to meet societal standards can lead to burnout and feelings of inadequacy. Chasing titles and external validations can cause stress and dissatisfaction. For those who crave approval, their self-esteem depends on getting the nod of approval.

Too many helicopter parents push their kids to be seen as prodigies. In the process they may be doing more damage than good.

 People who achieve early success often attribute their accomplishments to luck rather than ability. They fear that others will eventually expose them as a fraud. Jealous colleagues can fuel this feeling by attributing their success to luck.

 Renowned psychologist Daniel Kahneman's research shows that external achievements don't always lead to prolonged fulfillment. A promotion or raise may make us happy for a day or two, but the feeling fades quickly. Some career experts argue that peaking early can lead to complacency and ultimately, failure.

Read more: Is your child a prodigy?

Balance Ambition with Personal Well-being

Instead of anchoring your self-worth and happiness to external recognition, aim to balance ambition with personal well-being. Here are three steps to help you achieve this:

1. Set Diverse Goals: Break down your aspirations into short-term and long-term goals, including both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Career and personal master plans can help you set and achieve balanced targets.

2. Value of Resilience: Build resilience by embracing failures as lessons rather than setbacks. This mindset will help you navigate the ups and downs of your career.

3. Entrepreneurial Spirit: Cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit driven by passion and innovation rather than recognition alone. This will help you stay motivated and focused on what truly matters.

Life May Have Better Plans

Sometimes, life takes unexpected turns. Maya Shankar's promising career as a concert violinist ended abruptly when she was 15 years old due to a serious hand injury. This injury forced her to give up her dream of being a professional violinist and led her to rediscover her identity.

During this challenging time, she developed a deep curiosity about how our minds work, which led her to study cognitive science. She went on to earn a Ph.D. in cognitive neuroscience from Oxford and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford. Maya Shankar has since become a successful cognitive scientist who served as a Senior Advisor in the Obama White House and founded the White House Social and Behavioral Sciences Team.

Your career spans several decades. Early recognition is just a start, not the peak. Define your own success based on what you control – your expertise, a great set of friends and colleagues, and being good at what you do. That's the true motivator and indicator of long-term success.

A version of this appeared in Times of India