I’ve spent more than twenty years in multifamily leadership and as a business owner, surrounded by high achievers. People with titles, awards, and the kind of résumés that make others pause and say, “Wow, you’ve made it.”
But behind those achievements, there’s often a quiet truth many don’t talk about: success can still feel hollow.
I’ve seen it in others. I’ve teetered on the edge of it myself. You check all the boxes: promotion, performance, recognition and yet something inside you starts to wonder if this is really it. The meetings are full, the calendar is packed, but your spirit feels empty.
It’s not because you’re ungrateful or doing something wrong. It’s because success without fulfillment isn’t sustainable.
Listen to the podcast here:
The Hidden Cost of “Having It All”
When I was at the height of my career in multifamily, I thought the right balance would come once I achieved enough. Enough respect. Enough income. Enough wins. But what I learned is that “enough” doesn’t create peace; purpose and perspective do.
Many of us were taught that fulfillment is something we’ll get to later, once the work slows down or once the next milestone is reached. But fulfillment can’t wait. It’s the energy that fuels every meaningful success that lasts.
When you ignore it, you start to feel the quiet burnout that no one sees. The kind that doesn’t show up as exhaustion, but as disconnection from your work, your relationships, and yourself.
Redefining Success
RELATED: Do you need to redefine what success means to you?
Real success isn’t about choosing between achievement and alignment. It’s about leading in a way that honors both.
Fulfillment shows up when your days feel aligned with your values, when your wins feel meaningful beyond the metrics, and when your drive is rooted in something deeper than performance.
It’s about knowing that your life isn’t just a collection of milestones, but a reflection of what truly matters to you.
A Conversation Worth Having
This is the conversation ambitious women in leadership need to start having not because we’ve failed, but because we’ve evolved.
Fulfillment doesn’t replace success; it refines it. It turns the climb into something more sustainable, more human, and far more rewarding.
If this resonates with you, I’d love to invite you to explore this week’s episode of The Kristi Jones Show: Success Isn’t the Whole Story.
And if you’re ready to chase both success and fulfillment with intention, join me inside The Flourishing Edge Inner Circle, a membership created for high-achieving women who are ready to reset, rise, and build lives that feel as good as they look.
If you’re new here or curious about my journey, you can learn more about me here and discover the heart behind this work.
If you’re looking for coaching opportunities to live your life to the fullest you can learn more here about my one-on-one coaching opportunities or my Flourishing Edge Membership with my Flourishing Edge program.
