Redefining Success: Why It’s Okay to Be Less

After 15 years of hard work, with far more successes than failures, I came to a realization that feels simple but is incredibly difficult to practice: work should never come at the expense of our health, our social life, or our mental well-being. Yet for many of us, it often does.

This truth hit me harder when one of the most passionate and committed colleagues I had ever known passed away suddenly at the age of 30 from cardiac arrest. He did not die because of hard work, but his loss became a wake up call. It reminded me how fragile life is and how often we take our health for granted in the pursuit of achievement. It made me pause and question the way we glorify overworking, as though endless effort is the only measure of success.

We live in a world that praises busyness almost as if it were a virtue. Long hours, endless deadlines, and constant pressure are often worn as badges of honor. Promotions are celebrated as the ultimate sign of achievement, while taking a break can be misunderstood as laziness or weakness. But the truth is that human beings are not machines. We cannot run endlessly on willpower without rest. Productivity should never come at the cost of our peace of mind.

The problem is that we are conditioned to think otherwise. From an early stage in our careers, we are told that hard work is the only path to progress, and that any pause will set us behind. But the reality is that rest is not wasted time. Rest is the foundation of sustainable growth. Without it, our energy, our creativity, and our relationships begin to fade.

We need to normalize taking long breaks. We need to accept that there will be days when we do not feel like working, and that is perfectly fine. We need to stop measuring our worth by how much we produce in a single day or how quickly we climb the ladder. Our lives are too rich and too complex to be measured by deadlines and titles.

Losing a job may feel devastating, but it is not the end of the world. Getting a promotion, while rewarding, is not the ultimate measure of life. True success lies in balance: in being able to nurture our relationships, enjoy simple pleasures, and care for ourselves without guilt. It is about creating a life that feels whole, not one that looks perfect on paper.

It is okay not to afford everything we dream of. It is okay to live with less. It is okay to be less, at least in the eyes of a society that equates worth with possessions and status. What truly matters is building a life that feels fulfilling on our own terms, one that allows us to be present with the people and the moments that mean the most.

Looking back, I know I have had more success than failure. Yet the greatest lesson did not come from my achievements. It came from recognizing that life is fragile, and that chasing the next milestone without pause leaves us empty in the moments that matter most. No promotion, no paycheck, and no award is worth sacrificing our well-being. The real victory is in choosing balance, peace, and presence and in allowing ourselves to live fully, without apology…