I’ve always wanted to succeed in a lot of things.
Build something meaningful.
Be in great shape.
Surround myself with amazing people.
Make an impact.
Live freely.
But here’s something I’ve heard over and over again - success requires sacrifice.
And usually, the things that get sacrificed should also be part of success.
Friendships. Relationships. Community. Inner peace.
But it can be anything.
You ever look at someone and think, damn, they’ve got it all figured out?
They’re crushing it in business, fit as hell, seem happy, and have a great circle of people.
But then I stop and ask myself - what’s missing that I don’t see?
Shouldn’t there be a sacrifice?
Isn’t that the price?
Or maybe what we see is just the highlight reel - while the trade-offs remain hidden.
Because success - no matter how complete it looks - always has a cost.
And that’s why comparison is useless.
Not because you shouldn’t learn from others, but because you don’t know the full picture.
Maybe the person you admire has something you lack.
But maybe you have something they’re missing.
No one has it all.
The real challenge? Figuring out what’s important for you and how to sustain it.
Society throws conflicting messages at us.
Hustle culture tells you to grind non-stop.
The wellness movement says health should come first.
Self-development circles push personal growth as the ultimate goal.
Relationship gurus insist deep connections are the key to fulfillment.
So which is right?
Which comes first?
What’s the “correct” order?
The truth is - there is no right way.
Some say you should be complete in all areas of life.
Others say if you’re a jack of all trades, you’re a master of none.
I believe something different:
You can be a jack of all trades… just not a master of all of them - at least not all at once.
Because time and energy aren’t infinite.
The hours spent building a business aren’t spent at the gym.
The time spent socializing isn’t spent reading or meditating.
The focus poured into personal growth isn’t invested into deepening relationships.
You name it.
Everything requires allocation.
And that’s where most people go wrong.
They chase everything at once, but never define what actually matters to them. Or they chase what they think they need, instead of what actually fulfills them.
If you don’t define success, the world will do it for you.
And it’ll hand you a version that might not even fulfill you.
So take a moment to think:
What actually matters to you? Not what looks good to others, but what feels right to you.
What areas of life give you real meaning? Career, relationships, health, creativity, freedom?
What are you neglecting that you know is important?
What’s the real trade-off you’re making with your time?
Because success isn’t just about getting somewhere—it’s about knowing that where you’re going actually matters and is of use to you.
Then comes the hard part.
Most people think success is about achieving something.
But real success is also about keeping it.
You can make a lot of money, but if you don’t manage it well, it won’t last.
You can build great relationships, but if you don’t nurture them, they fade.
You can get in shape, but if you stop taking care of your body, it’ll slip away.
Success isn’t just about reaching the peak.
It’s about staying there.
And that’s where the real game starts.
Which is why the definition of success, allocation, and maintenance needs to be in balance.
I think we should always define where we want to improve.
Then if we know our flaws and rooms for improvement, we can allocate our time proportionally according to our present priorities.
And last but not least - we should set clear metrics on how to maintain our initial success.
If success is personal, then the way we measure it has to be personal too.
At the end of the day, success isn’t about ticking boxes or keeping up with someone else’s pace.
If you feel successful based on what matters to you, then you are.
If you’re living in alignment with your values, you’re winning.
If you’re consciously choosing your priorities instead of being led by pressure, you’re ahead.
So define your success.
Set your own metrics.
And build a life that actually feels good to live.
Because real success?
That’s personal.
Last week - Kendrick, this week - Drake.
See for yourself.
All the best,
Niklāvs
