Success in Work or Success in Life

As a child I always imagined I would become this powerful woman one day. I thought I would dress in suits and be fantastically successful. My father was a powerful figure and my parents always told me, "You can be whatever you want to be." Somehow that translated to, "You can be a political highlight", so I got all as at school and studied politics at university.

But one day I was sitting in a lecture and it hit me - this is not what I want, it's what I think I should want. I took a term off, did some soul-searching and figured out that while I did love politics, I didn't actually love the idea of devoting my life to it. I eventually decided to abandon that path and work in the non-profit sector, where my salary and prestige can't compare to what I once dreamed about, but it's "nine to five", and I still have plenty of time for my boyfriend, my friends and my family.

"You have been miserable as that power woman, but now I love my life."

I found that I had to define my own goals because they change, in my case, every four to five years. In my twenties having a great career was the biggest and most important thing, but currently in my early thirties having a baby and caring for it measures now my success. I think feeling successful is about figuring out how to spend your time in a way that makes you feel proud.

My conclusion - that success in work is not the same as success in life - isn't unusual today. So, has your thinking shifted without you realizing it?