The Truth About Lasting Change
If you’ve ever started a big shift in your life, whether it’s a new career, health routine, or lifestyle change, you know how exhilarating those first few days feel. You’re motivated, focused, and ready to make it happen. But then… life happens. Work demands pile up, the initial excitement fades, and you find yourself slipping back into old patterns.
Most advice tells us to “find your why,” and while that’s a valuable step, it’s only part of the equation. If you want real, sustainable change, you must delve deeper into something even more powerful than purpose. What is the secret to lasting change? Joy.
Joy vs. Happiness: Why They’re Not the Same
Happiness is a fleeting emotion—it comes and goes depending on circumstances. Joy, on the other hand, is a grounded state of being that you can access no matter what’s happening around you. For high-profile executive women, joy serves as the internal anchor that keeps them steady and aligned, even during high-pressure periods.
When you operate from joy, you’re not pushing yourself through change with grit alone. You’re being pulled forward by something magnetic and deeply fulfilling.
The Problem With Willpower Alone
Willpower is like a battery; it runs out. You can power through challenges for a while, but without joy fueling your efforts, you’ll eventually feel depleted. Many successful women know how to “push through” almost anything, but that same drive can lead to burnout if it’s not balanced with inner fulfillment.
When joy is missing, even the most exciting goals can start to feel like obligations. You might hit every target on your list yet still feel like something’s missing.
How Joy Creates Sustainable Success
When you root your actions in joy, everything changes:
- Goals become a “get to,” not a “have to.”
- You naturally find more energy and focus.
- Your decisions align with your deeper values, not just external expectations.
- You inspire others with your presence, not just your performance.
For professional women leading in high-stakes environments, joy becomes your quiet accountability partner, your creative fuel, and your compass for authentic living.
A Simple Practice to Reconnect With Joy
If you’ve been chasing goals but feeling disconnected from yourself, try this:
- Pause: Take five minutes at the start of your day.
- Ask yourself: “What would make me feel truly alive today?”
- Choose one action: This could be big or small, but it brings you joy and you commit to it.
Over time, this habit will shift the way you approach everything from business decisions to personal priorities.
The Bottom Line
Joy isn’t the reward for making a change—it’s the reason you make it. By leading from joy instead of willpower, you create results that last, deepen relationships, and a life that lights you up from the inside out.
Because success isn’t just about what you achieve—it’s about how you feel while attaining it.
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