Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Key Takeaways Top achievers recognize and reassess unfulfilling goals, embracing the liberating power of saying “no” to opportunities that don’t align with their evolving aspirations.
Spreading yourself too thin can drain your energy and add stress, highlighting the importance of focus and the strategic use of “no” to maintain a path to success.
Investment in the process and personal well-being is crucial for maintaining momentum and ensuring the sustainability of your professional aspirations.
It happens to all entrepreneurs at some point. You’ve put in the work, you’ve hit the right milestones and your résumé has professional success written all over it. Yet one question keeps popping up: Is this what I want?
At the height of my success as a realtor in Washington, there was a moment when I was being offered incredibly high-valued listings. People were calling me and offering me opportunities that I had worked so hard to get, and in that moment where one might expect me to feel victorious or excited, I felt nothing. I received a call and was offered an amazing listing, in one of the best locations in Washington and my first thought was, no. Pointblank. I do not want to do this. And I ended up outsourcing that opportunity.
I had put in so much effort to build a portfolio of listings exactly like what I was being offered and I had never felt such a strong negative reaction. I was a listing agent, and this was how I made my living — but at that moment, all I felt was burnout and stress. A moment that could’ve been seen as the completion of one of my all-time career goals wasn’t.
If that tension feels familiar, it may be a sign that you need to reassess what it is you are pursuing.
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Sign 1: Some of your goals are idealistic
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