When Success Feels Off: Finding Authentic Leadership

I had great jobs, great teams. I learned a ton and worked on cool projects with smart people. I did all the things—got the degrees, climbed the ladder and switched ladders a few times. It was mostly fun.

But also, it wasn’t.

Why Your Career Feels Off (Even When It Looks Great on Paper)

 Something always felt…off.

At 29, I took my first leave of absence from one of Canada’s top organizations. I flew to Ghana to visit my sister, hoping to clear my head. When I came back, I resigned. Everything looked great on paper, but it didn’t feel great inside.

People told me, “Get to the top—that’s where you can help the most and have the biggest impact.” But climbing higher didn’t feel like my way. I wanted to help people and lead authentically, but was frustrated—drowning in bureaucracy and pushing papers from here to there. I wanted to feel free and alive, but instead, I felt boxed in.
 

Signs Your Leadership Isn’t Aligned with Your True Self

I craved creativity, connection, laughs, joy, and a deep sense of purpose. But my days were filled with office attire, status reports, standard operating procedures, a dash of gossip, a sprinkle of eye-rolling, and lots of reformatting.
 

Don’t get me wrong—I had plenty of fun. I laughed a lot, made lifelong friends and connections, and genuinely loved supporting people, teams and organizations to grow and reach their goals. And yet something was just not right. 

If you feel like your outside world doesn’t match your inner values, you’re not alone. Here are some signs that your leadership and career might be out of sync with who you truly are:

✅ You’ve checked all the “success” boxes, but something still feels missing.
✅ You crave creativity, connection, and purpose, but your days feel monotonous.
✅ You feel like you’re playing a role rather than leading authentically.
✅ You enjoy your team and work but still feel unfulfilled.
✅ You’re waiting for a sense of alignment that never quite comes.

Authentic Leadership: Aligning Who You Are with How You Lead

Recently, a bestie and former colleague reminded me, “You were always a little quirky.” Whether it was funky socks, a random joke, or sharing my weekend adventures (the anti-cubicle life), there were always hints of my true self trying to peek through.

So, if you’re out there feeling like something is off—like your outside doesn’t match your inner world and your authentic leadership is struggling to break through the surface—I see you. Been there.

You don’t have to stay stuck.

But you can if you want. The choice is yours. Just know there’s a way to feel free and alive again, to align what’s on the inside with the life you build on the outside.

You get to define success on your terms. You get to lead in a way that feels real and fulfilling. There is a way to align what’s on the inside with the life you build on the outside.

Ready to Lead Authentically?

If this resonates with you, let’s connect. Schedule a free consultation to explore how you can step into leadership with confidence, clarity, and purpose.