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I've spent over 25 years inside the minds of high achieving women. Women who've built the career. She's worked her ass off, checked every box, did everything right, and yet still feels like something's missing. It's the woman who looks like she has it all on the outside, but secretly wonders, why don't I feel happy? Why don't I feel fulfilled? What is wrong with me? I'll tell you what's wrong. You've been sold a version of success that was never designed to fulfill you. And today I'm showing you exactly how to break free and find joy and satisfaction. Hi, it's Hillary. Welcome to the Hillary Silver Podcast. Since childhood, you've been conditioned to believe that success will make you happy. Accomplishments will give you confidence, and when you get there, everything will feel right. So you did the work, you hit the goals, and you made it. But instead of fulfillment, the target just keeps moving. And every time you hit a new goal, there's always another one right behind it. It you thought once you hit six figures or got the promotion or built the dream life, you'd finally feel fulfilled, but instead that target just moves further and further away. The more you achieve, the more you feel like you should be grateful and happy. But when you're not, you don't question the system, you question yourself. And it makes you feel even worse than you already do for not being grateful for what you have. This is not your fault. It's what I call the plight of the high achiever. Running and running and running on the achievement treadmill. It's a never ending cycle that keeps women running. After that feeling that you've arrived to a place where you can just finally rest and relax and feel deeply satisfied that you are in fact good enough. It's the constantly seeking and chasing and proving that has you overworked, underwhelmed, and forever striving, but never arriving. And if you don't break free, you will eventually burnout and you will wake up 10 years from now just as unfulfilled, but less time to do anything about it. So how do you stop the cycle? You stop chasing external success and you become self centered. Here's the truth you may not know. Much of the drive to achieve comes from a deep subconscious need to feel good enough. Early experiences and messaging taught you that achieving and winning or doing well means attention, praise or love. And sadly, even when you fell short, sometimes it meant criticism. So you've built this wall of fame, as I call it, and your mantle of trophies, checking all the Boxes that prove just how smart you are, how capable you are, how deserving you are. It is all the evidence that you've racked up that you are significant and deserving or good enough and worthy of being seen or even loved. But no amount of money, accolades, success or attention will ever be enough to fulfill you. And chasing after it only keeps it elusive. Because your worth and your enoughness has nothing to do with what you've achieved or anything else about what you've done. It is not contingent upon external sources. Your worth is inherent and inside of you. But in all of that efforting. And everyone else gets to stay comfortable, but not you. So your boss, your friends, your partner, your children, the community. Everyone else gets to stay comfortable, but not you. And the second you stop playing the game, some people will question you and even try to make you feel guilty for it. You say no and suddenly you're selfish. You stop overworking and suddenly you're not dedicated enough. You put yourself first and people just don't get it. Maybe they see you differently or start to think different things about you and P. Sound familiar? So you have two choices right now. Keep playing by the rules that were never meant to serve you. Or finally become the center of your own life. That second choice. That's where your freedom is. And it all starts with being self centered. Self centered, not other centered. Self centered. Can you feel that shift? Being self centered is not selfish like we've all been conditioned to believe. It's not about taking from others at their expense. It's about prioritizing yourself so that you are fulfilled and whole and happy and healthy and have something left to give. You are giving from an overflowing cup because right now you are running on empty. You're pouring from a cup that has nothing in it. Hoping that nobody sees just how exhausted and depleted you are. And no one knows that you are privately struggling and hanging on by a thread. Who benefits from that? I guarantee you it is not you, my love. It is your boss and your colleagues and your friends and your family. They do. But when you become self centered, everything shifts. The exhaustion lifts. The fulfillment you've finally been chasing for. It finally arrives. It just slowly fills you up from the inside. But where do you start? I'm going to share three actions that you can take right now. And the best place to start is actually with my free video training called this Changes Everything. And over the last two decades I've helped thousands of women see Stop all the proving and seeking. So if you're ready for that Just click the link in the show notes or in the description to get immediate access. If you're interested and you want to check it out. So action number one to becoming self centered and finally feeling full is to audit your life. No more lying to yourself. Look at every part of your life and ask yourself these three questions. Did I actually choose this? Does this still make sense for me? Am I relying on this to feel good about myself? Or do I authentically enjoy this? If the answer is no, stop pretending. Stop convincing yourself that you still want things that drain you. Stop keeping the commitments that don't serve you anymore. And stop waiting for permission to let things go. If it doesn't fit, it goes. Because if you don't clear the space, there will be no room for the life that you actually want. You have to clear it out and make room for what it is that you really want want in your life. Action number two, Redefine success on your terms. If your definition of success was handed to you by someone else, you will always feel unfulfilled. If you don't care about climbing the ladder, stop. If you want to take a year off and travel, do it. So what does success actually mean to you? If it means working less, playing more, feeling more alive, choose that. Because if the goal isn't yours, the happiness won't be either. And action number three. Make self centered decisions every single day. This means saying no when you mean no, not explaining yourself when no explanation is needed, not shrinking yourself to make other people comfortable. At first people won't like it, so what? And I say good. It's not meant for them to like it, it's meant for you to like. And the people who actually really truly do love you will applaud this shift for you. And the others can just fall away. Let them just all away. I call that cutting the fat, trimming the excess that isn't healthy for you. And just keep the good stuff. The ones who benefit from all your self sacrifice aren't supposed to like the new self centered you. But you know who will? You will. You will like her a lot. This is what it means to step into your power. It's time to choose you. Please do not fall into the trap of thinking I'll be happy when I'll be happy when I make more money. I'll be happy when I finally get the validation I deserve. I'll be happy when I reach the next level. I'll finally feel good enough and can stop all the seeking and chasing when I get there. It's not out there, my friends. It's in here. It always has been. It's been with you all along. You just have to choose it. Stop waiting, stop chasing and start being self centered. It doesn't just change your life, it literally changes everything. Thanks for being here. I appreciate it so much. And I'll see you next time.
The Hilary Silver Podcast: "Successful But Feel Empty" – Detailed Summary
Release Date: April 11, 2025
Hilary Silver's episode titled "Successful But Feel Empty" delves deep into the emotional void that often accompanies external success, especially among high-achieving women. Drawing from over 25 years of experience as a psychotherapist, Hilary unpacks the societal constructs of success and offers actionable strategies to find genuine fulfillment.
Hilary begins by addressing a common dilemma faced by many high-achieving women: despite building successful careers and appearing to "have it all" externally, an internal sense of happiness and fulfillment remains elusive.
"You've been sold a version of success that was never designed to fulfill you." ([00:00])
She identifies the root cause as societal conditioning from a young age, where success is equated with happiness and self-worth. Achieving set goals often leads to the pursuit of new ones, creating a relentless cycle where fulfillment is always just out of reach.
"Since childhood, you've been conditioned to believe that success will make you happy." ([00:20])
Hilary introduces the concept of the "achievement treadmill," highlighting how continuous striving for external validation keeps individuals perpetually dissatisfied.
"The more you achieve, the more you feel like you should be grateful and happy." ([00:55])
She explains that each milestone reached sets a new, higher target, making true fulfillment seem unattainable. This relentless pursuit not only leads to overwork but also fosters self-doubt when happiness isn't achieved post-accomplishment.
"But no amount of money, accolades, success or attention will ever be enough to fulfill you." ([03:05])
Hilary coins the term "the plight of the high achiever" to describe the never-ending cycle of achievement that leaves individuals feeling overworked and underwhelmed.
"It's a never-ending cycle that keeps women running." ([02:15])
She emphasizes that this cycle is detrimental, leading to eventual burnout and a prolonged sense of unfulfillment. The societal expectation to keep proving oneself perpetuates this exhausting loop.
"If you don't break free, you will eventually burnout and you will wake up 10 years from now just as unfulfilled." ([04:10])
Contrary to societal notions, Hilary advocates for becoming "self-centered" as a pathway to true fulfillment. She clarifies that self-centeredness isn't selfish but rather prioritizing one's well-being to foster genuine happiness and productivity.
"Self centered, not other centered. Self centered." ([05:25])
Hilary explains that much of the drive to achieve stems from a subconscious need to feel worthy, often linked to external validation like praise or love. By shifting focus inward, individuals can break free from the dependency on external achievements for self-worth.
"Your worth is inherent and inside of you." ([03:50])
Remaining focused on external validation has negative repercussions not only for the individual but also for those around them. Hilary points out that the constant striving exhausts personal energy, leaving little to give to others.
"You're giving from an overflowing cup because right now you are running on empty." ([06:40])
This depletion benefits no one, including bosses, colleagues, friends, and family, who continue to expect high performance without considering the individual's well-being.
Hilary outlines three practical steps to transition from external validation to self-centered fulfillment:
Conduct a comprehensive self-assessment by asking:
If the answers are negative, it's time to let go of activities and commitments that drain energy and no longer serve personal growth.
Success should be individualized. If traditional markers like climbing the corporate ladder don't resonate, redefine what success means personally.
"If the goal isn't yours, the happiness won't be either." ([08:45])
Whether it's taking a year off to travel or prioritizing work-life balance, setting personal definitions of success ensures that achievements align with genuine desires.
Incorporate self-centeredness into daily choices by:
Hilary acknowledges that this shift might not be immediately accepted by others, but emphasizes that those who truly care will support the change.
"The people who actually really truly do love you will applaud this shift for you." ([10:20])
Hilary wraps up by reinforcing the idea that true happiness doesn't reside in external achievements but within oneself.
"It's not out there, my friends. It's in here. It always has been." ([11:00])
She urges listeners to stop waiting for external milestones to feel fulfilled and to embrace self-centeredness as a means to an enriched, balanced life.
"Stop waiting, stop chasing and start being self centered. It doesn't just change your life, it literally changes everything." ([11:40])
Hilary concludes with a heartfelt thank you to her listeners, encouraging them to take the first steps towards prioritizing themselves.
Redefine Success: Tailor your definition of success to align with personal values and desires rather than societal expectations.
Prioritize Self-Worth: Recognize that self-worth is inherent and not dependent on external achievements or validations.
Implement Daily Changes: Make conscious, self-centered decisions to create space for genuine fulfillment and prevent burnout.
By shifting focus from external validation to internal fulfillment, Hilary Silver provides a roadmap for high-achieving women to break free from the achievement treadmill and cultivate a life of true happiness and satisfaction.
Additional Resources
For listeners interested in further exploring these concepts, Hilary offers a free video training titled "This Changes Everything," aimed at helping women stop the cycle of proving and seeking. Access to this resource is available through the podcast's show notes or description.
Remember to subscribe to The Hilary Silver Podcast on your preferred platform and tune in every Friday for more insights on confidence, boundaries, relationships, and personal success.