The One Belief I No Longer Agree With Today (That I Did 5 Years Ago)

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*Five years ago, I strongly believed that success was purely a matter of hard work. I used to think that if you just kept your head down, showed up every day, and gave your best, the results would eventually come. It was a belief rooted in discipline, shaped by motivational quotes and stories of people who "made it" through sheer effort. And while there's still some truth to that idea, my perspective has changed significantly over the years.

What I’ve come to realize is that while hard work matters, it’s not the only ingredient, and it’s certainly not always enough. Opportunity, timing, relationships, mental health, and sometimes just plain luck play just as big a role, if not more. This realization wasn’t something that came overnight. It slowly unraveled through personal experiences, observation, and a few hard lessons along the way.

Back then, I was convinced that the world was mostly meritocratic. If someone wasn’t succeeding, I assumed they weren’t working hard enough. I now see how narrow and unfair that view was. I’ve met incredibly talented, dedicated people who’ve worked tirelessly but remain stuck in circumstances beyond their control, whether it's systemic barriers, financial constraints, or just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. On the other hand, I’ve seen people who advanced rapidly, not because they worked harder, but because they had connections or access others didn’t.

What really began to shift my mindset was my own experience with burnout. I pushed myself relentlessly, believing that rest was a luxury and that success demanded constant hustle. Eventually, I hit a wall. The harder I pushed, the more my performance declined. It was frustrating, I was doing everything I believed in, but it wasn’t working. That experience made me question the belief I held so tightly.

Around that time, I started paying closer attention to the bigger picture. I began noticing how many people were talking about balance, boundaries, and the importance of saying no. I read about emotional intelligence, psychological safety in the workplace, and the role of privilege in shaping opportunities.

I also realized that defining success solely by outcomes, promotions, titles, income, wasn’t sustainable or fulfilling. Some of the most “successful” people I’ve met were also the most unhappy. That got me thinking: if hard work isn’t the sole path to success, and if success itself isn’t always what it seems, then what was I really chasing?

Today, I still value hard work, but I see it differently. I think of it more as a foundation, not a guarantee. I value smart work just as much, prioritizing what matters, protecting my energy, building genuine relationships, and staying open to change.

Letting go of that old belief wasn’t easy. It meant confronting my own biases and reevaluating how I saw others. But it’s made me more empathetic, more self-aware, and honestly, more at peace with where I am.

Thanks for your time.*