What if you’re winning a game you never wanted to play?What if the goals you’re chasing were chosen by someone else;and you just forgot to ask if they were actually yours?
Yesterday, in The Business That Doesn’t Break, we looked at structure, how to build impact without burnout.
Today, Shawn goes inward again, revealing the moment he realized his biggest goals weren’t really his own.
Through an honest journaling story, he exposes how ambition becomes performance when we don’t define success for ourselves.
The most dangerous thing you can do isn’t aim too low. It’s aiming at the wrong target and hitting it.
This episode dismantles borrowed definitions of success and reframes achievement as alignment.
Hitting every metric means nothing if the life it builds doesn’t feel like yours.
In This Episode
* How inherited goals quietly shape your ambition
* Why external validation keeps success feeling empty
* The difference between approval and alignment
* A reflective exercise to reclaim goals that are truly yours
✦ Reflection Prompts
* Which of my current goals are inherited, not chosen?
* If no one ever knew I hit this milestone, would I still want it?
* What does success actually feel like… for me?
✦ The Boost (Action Step)
* Write out every goal you’re chasing right now.
* Ask three questions for each:
* Did I choose this?
* Do I want this?
* Would I still want it if no one knew?
* Circle the goals that belong to you and start releasing the rest.
If you’ve been climbing a ladder that may not even be yours, book your No-Cost Identity Clarity Call, let’s redefine success from the inside out.
✦ On the Next Episode
The Legacy Question: What Are You Building That Will Outlast You
Because once you define success on your terms, the next step is purpose that transcends you.
✦ If Today’s Episode Sparked Something…
* Share it with someone who’s redefining their own “enough.”
* Subscribe to Daily Power Boost for rhythm-based identity resets.
* Join the R.E.A.L. Mastery™ Hub → realmasteryhub.com
* Apply for Beyond the Boost live coaching.
✦ Engage With Me Online
* Instagram: @coachshawnmichael
* TikTok: @coachshawnmichael
* YouTube: @coachshawnmichael
* LinkedIn: @coachinguatemala
✦ References & Influences
* James Clear - Atomic Habits on values-aligned systems
* Simon Sinek - Start With Why on purpose before metrics
* Brené Brown - The Gifts of Imperfection on worthiness beyond achievement
* Tripp Lanier - This Book Will Make You Dangerous on authentic ambition
With strength & heart,
❤️🔥 Shawn Michael
