Introduction:
Hi, I’m Max – A High Performance Coach.
Okay, here we go…all you high performer types – here’s a question that you probably don’t get asked a lot – What are you sacrificing on the altar of success that you worship so dearly?
Firstly, you’ll probably hate this article. But stick with me—it’s something you need to hear. Have you ever considered that the relentless pursuit of success might be a trap? Are you genuinely pursuing success, or has success trapped you? Think back to when you started—you would have killed to be where you are now.
Yet here you are, constantly delaying gratification in the name of progress, pushing yourself harder, and priding yourself on your high standards. But let’s be brutally honest for a moment—are you happy? Give yourself a one-word answer. Don’t dodge it.
“Who are you to say what makes me happy?” – I hear the echoes of CEOs reading this article say.
Here’s the difficult part for high performers to accept—as unique and exceptional as you are, you’re still human. We are biological machines, and there’s a way to operate this machine efficiently. The endless pursuit of more—more success, more wealth, more status—ironically leads to dissatisfaction and misery. As intelligent and conscientious as you are, bring all that focus and attention to today’s reading.
Here are three fundamental shifts that will help you break free from the success-chasing trap:
1) Acknowledge Deeply That Success Won’t Bring Fulfillment
Here’s a question for all of you who are on the verge of clicking off this article – how many times throughout all your success chasing have you truly felt deeply complete and satisfied? And how long did these moments last?
You see, this point can’t be emphasized enough. The deeper you internalize this, the more profound the impact on your life. Think about it: how many times have you achieved a goal only to find that the satisfaction was fleeting? How many milestones have you hit, only to realize that the next one feels just as distant and unattainable?
How deeply do you grasp this?
When my clients realize this, it’s often a shocking, life-altering moment. They have a “What the f*ck have I been doing with my life?” moment. It’s a massive shift. If you’re brave enough to truly reflect on this, you’ll see how much time you’ve spent pursuing something that won’t give you the lasting fulfillment you crave. Now here’s the thorniest part of this – the external world will say “wow you’re killing it!” – but are you? They only see your life on the outside, reflect deeply on your life on the inside.
2) Shift from Success to Connection
The antidote to the trap of success is shifting your focus from chasing achievements to building connection. Start by displaying vulnerability with your team. Let them see that you’re human too. Express gratitude more openly and more deeply, especially toward the high performers around you. They, too, are likely caught in this same trap.
Reconnect with your family. Instead of crunching work hours in the name of “being the provider” for your family, why not actually show up and be present with them? Take time to be fully present with your loved ones.
And here’s a hard truth—stop flexing your material success. The fancy watches, the cars, the status symbols—realize that your life’s purpose isn’t to be better than others but to contribute to your fellow humans. Success doesn’t make you invincible or superior. Reflect on the inequality in the world and use your success to make a meaningful contribution rather than just another notch on the belt.
3) Re-engineer Your Company’s Vision
This is a game-changer for high performers in leadership positions. Most business owners are driven by extrinsic motivations—freedom, wealth, status—which might have fueled your journey so far. But here’s the thing: you’re going to spend over 90,000 hours of your life working. If your motivation is extrinsic, life at work becomes a grind.
Re-engineer your vision. Contribution comes first.
Stop building your business to compete—start building it to create. The truth is that materialistic pursuits are never truly satisfying. This is a law of human nature. Look at the people who have more money than you, more status than you, bigger companies than you – are they happier than you? When your company’s mission shifts toward contributing to something greater, you’ll find a sense of purpose that fills your soul far more than self-centered pursuits ever could.
Every high performer’s objection ever: “But Max, if I stop pursuing success then my company will begin to underperform and fall apart!” – remember what I asked you to do in the beginning of today’s reading – bring all your intelligence and conscientiousness to this – consider that if you start focusing on the contributions that you will make to your team, stakeholders and clients, you’ll actually become more successful. And Happy.
Conclusion:
Success is not the problem—it’s how we relate to it. The endless chase for more will only leave you feeling empty in the end. But when you acknowledge that fulfillment doesn’t come from external achievements, shift your focus to connection, and build a vision centered on contribution, you’ll escape the trap.
Take this as a wake-up call – are you ready to stop chasing and start living?
If you don’t agree, challenge me on it – let’s chat here.
Max
High Performance Coach
