Sometimes it becomes more important to me how the result will look to others than what it will change in my life. Then success is no longer just a task I want to accomplish, but a confirmation of the image I’ve created of myself.
This becomes especially clear when we have to let go of something we’ve invested a lot in. It’s hard to distinguish the reason for continuing from the need to avoid admitting that we’d rather do things differently.
The time and money we’ve invested are important. But they shouldn’t be the sole factors in deciding where we’ll invest next year.
It’s worth asking: if I were choosing for the first time today, would I choose the same thing? What do I want to preserve, and what am I holding on to because a change would ruin someone else’s perception of me?
The answer doesn’t have to mean leaving right away; it can simply help me see more clearly what I’m trying to protect while claiming that I just want to succeed.
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