Surely you’ve heard people say things like “It’s lonely at the top”, and hearing that can get quite scary, especially if the top is exactly where you want to be. You’ve probably also wondered how on earth it’s possible to be lonely when you’re successful- one would think that’s when people gravitate towards you, right? Actually, wrong! Sadly, that’s not always the case, but luckily, there are solutions to having healthy relationships and success simultaneously. Here’s more.
Balance
When you’re working towards a goal, you can very easily isolate yourself from your loved ones as a means to focus on that goal without being distracted. This can work wonders for your career and help you attain the success you want, but it’ll certainly leave your relationships neglected.
Find a way to strike a balance between the two by involving people you love and trust on your journey to the top. Maybe you don’t feel comfortable with sharing every detail of your plans and goals, but there are other ways to make those you care about feel included. You could be a little bit more present- show up to plans you’ve made, make time for frequent phone calls and simply make an effort to nurture your relationships.
Self-reliance
This is a great characteristic to have because it shows a high level of independence, but it can also be high detrimental to your relationships. Of course you can’t expect your loved ones to baby you, but sometimes it’s nice to make people feel needed and valued. Being too self-reliant may cause you to ignore advice from people who care about you and make you feel like you don’t need relationships because you have it all figured out.
Ask for advice from the closest people to you, hear them out and make them feel like they’re still a valuable part of your life- even if you feel like you’d do just fine without them.
Envy
You might be super excited about your success, but unfortunately, not everyone will share the same excitement. You might come across people who are unbelievably envious of how well you’re doing, and they might tear you down or remove themselves from you, and that’s okay. It’s probably for the best.
Having people who aren’t genuinely happy for you should make you appreciate those who are- those are the ones you should keep around and share your grand moments with. You might feel a little bit guarded at first, but you’re realise that the small and healthy circle you’ve managed to preserve is so much better than the large, toxic one you may have had before.
There may be a whole lot more things that you’ll experience after becoming successful or while on the journey to getting there, like conflicting aspirations with your loved ones, the fear of being used by them or simply wanting to experience the success chapter on your own. All of these can be big bearers of loneliness, and although there are relationships you might need to filter, there are also those that will stand this test and remain. Don’t neglect your goals and dreams for temporary relationships that aren’t built on love and support. Strive to strike a balance between those relationships that build you up, and working on your goals.
