We’ve all seen the success stories that flood our social media feeds: the entrepreneur scaling their business to seven figures, the professional landing their dream role, the glowing announcement of “I finally made it!” While these moments are worth celebrating, they often leave out an important part of the narrative—the prequel.
The prequel is where the real work happens. It’s the years spent behind the scenes, full of learning, failing, and getting back up again. It’s the part of the story that’s messy, unpolished, and far from glamorous. But it’s also the part we need to talk about more because it’s what truly shapes the outcome.
The Hidden Work Behind Success
For many entrepreneurs, the journey starts with countless late nights, juggling multiple responsibilities, and taking risks that don’t always pay off. It’s the pitches that get rejected, the strategies that flop, and the revenue goals that are missed. For professionals, it’s applying to jobs and hearing “no” more often than “yes,” or taking on stretch assignments that feel overwhelming in the moment.
What we don’t see in those highlight reels are the sacrifices:
• Time spent away from family and friends.
• Financial uncertainty.
• Countless hours invested in learning, upskilling, and refining.
• The internal battles of self-doubt and imposter syndrome.
My Prequel
For me, success didn’t come without challenges. It took years of personal and professional growth, hard lessons learned through trial and error, and a relentless commitment to the vision I held for myself. I invested in workshops, sought mentorship, worked through setbacks, and learned to pivot when things didn’t go as planned.
There were sacrifices—letting go of comfort zones, enduring uncertainty, and navigating moments of burnout. But those sacrifices became the building blocks of the success I celebrate today.
What Are You Willing to Give?
Everyone wants the dream—the thriving business, the career growth, the financial freedom—but the question is: What are you willing to give up to achieve it? What are you willing to work relentlessly hard for?
Success requires both a willingness to let go of what no longer serves you and a commitment to doing the hard, sometimes unrecognized work. It’s about staying the course even when progress feels invisible and trusting that the effort will pay off in the end.
Normalize the Process
As professionals, leaders, and entrepreneurs, we need to normalize sharing the journey, not just the results. The lessons learned along the way are often more valuable than the wins themselves. By sharing the prequel, we can inspire others to embrace their own process, no matter how messy it feels.
So the next time you share a success, ask yourself: What did it take to get here? Because those are the stories that truly resonate, the ones that remind us all that success isn’t just about the destination—it’s about the transformation that happens along the way.
What has your journey taught you? I’d love to hear about the prequel to your success.
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