This Independent Life: what career success really means

Before deciding to quit my job and start This Independent Life, many people thought I was crazy to leave my “successful” career.

They thought I was killing it because I had reached a senior position and a high level of responsibility in my career, leading teams across London and New York and managing multi-million dollar budgets. Because I was earning more than my younger self ever thought possible, receiving bonuses as an extra thank you. Because I was travelling internationally to places like NYC, Lisbon, and Switzerland for business, something I’d always wanted to do. Because on the outside, I appeared to be 30 and thriving. 

But I felt trapped, and my mental and physical health was suffering as a result. I couldn’t see that, in fact, I was anything but “successful”. I was failing.

I realised what I really wanted was something deeper. Something that felt aligned to my passions and strengths. Something that was challenging but fulfilling. Something that allowed me to have flexibility and autonomy over my time. Something that allowed me to work with people that inspired me. Something that allowed me to travel or live anywhere in the world. Something which allowed me to earn money in a way that enabled my life choices, whatever that may be, and not the other way round. Something that allowed me to truly help people in a way that felt authentic. That’s when I realised what career success really meant to me.

Career success is what you want it to be. And the fact is, you can define it. If you want to be “successful” on your terms, you can. And trust me, you won’t regret it.