There was a time when I believed success had a formula: Work harder. Achieve more. Prove yourself. Earn your place.
I chased it relentlessly – the next title, the next milestone, the next validation of my worth. Productivity was my middle name. Goals were my compass. I proudly wore the “getting things – all things – done” suit. And for a while, it felt like I was winning.
Until I wasn’t.
I started noticing a pattern – not just in my life, but in the lives of the high achievers I worked with. The ones who had “made it,” yet were still searching. The ones who had everything, yet felt like something was missing. The ones who were drowning in a life that looked good on the outside but felt hollow within.
It made me wonder: What if we’ve bought the wrong definition of ‘having it all’?
The Success Trap: When Having It All Feels Empty
We grow up believing that success is a destination. A mountaintop. A finish line where, once we arrive, everything will finally feel right.
But what no one tells you is that the summit can be lonely. That the trophies collect dust. That the high of an achievement fades faster than you think. That a bank account full of numbers won’t fill an empty heart.
That success, by itself, doesn’t equal peace.
And yet, we keep reaching for more, thinking “maybe the next win will be the one that makes me feel whole”.
It never does.
So, I started asking myself :
What if true success isn’t about accumulation, but about alignment of our beliefs, values, desires, and actions ?
What if wealth isn’t about what we have, but how deeply we experience it?
What if the real 1% isn’t just about external power, but about internal freedom?
The 1% Life: A Different Definition of ‘Having It All’
Most people define success by what they collect – money, status, accolades, influence. But real wealth isn’t about collecting. It’s about experiencing.
Having it all means living in alignment – where your work, relationships, and daily life actually feel good to you, not just impressive to others. Where your beliefs are congruent and fully support your desires.
Having it all means pursuing mastery – not for validation, but because you love your craft, your passion, your expression.
Having it all means inner peace – healing from the weight of the past, releasing the anxiety for the future, and stepping fully into the present moment with a loving, open heart.
We spend so much time trying to get “there” that we forget to be here. But here is where life happens. Here is where joy lives.
The Shift: From Chasing to Receiving
We use success as a currency to buy what we’ve always longed for.
If I’m successful enough, I’ll finally feel seen.
If I achieve enough, I’ll finally belong.
If I make enough money, I’ll be worthy of love.
If I prove myself enough, I won’t have to fight for acceptance anymore.
We believe that once we reach a certain level, everything we’ve struggled with will just dissolve on its own. That the loneliness will fade. That the fear of rejection will disappear. That love, belonging, and peace will come effortlessly.
But here’s the truth no one tells you: no amount of external success can heal an internal wound.
If you haven’t found love yet – or if you keep falling for people who can’t meet you where you are – more money or another title isn’t the answer.
If you still feel like you’re too much or not enough – more followers, more awards, or more milestones won’t make that feeling go away.
Because the real work isn’t in the chase – it’s in exploring the beliefs that keep you stuck in the pattern.
Why wouldn’t you deserve love that feels fulfilling?
Why wouldn’t you belong exactly as you are?
Why wouldn’t success and peace coexist in your life?
Why would you live in fear that everything might crumble one day?
The shift isn’t about giving up ambition – it’s about no longer needing it to validate your worth. It’s about understanding that the things you long for – love, belonging, acceptance – don’t come from the chase for more.
They come from within.
And once you understand, allow and embody that?
Everything you’ve been running toward starts running toward you.
True Freedom: The Power of Needing Less
Most people seek success because they believe it will bring them freedom.
Freedom to do what they want. To be who they want. To finally feel enough.
But real freedom isn’t found in an external milestone – it’s found in how you relate to life itself.
Freedom isn’t just financial – it’s emotional. It means being able to handle challenges without losing yourself, sit in uncertainty without fear, and trust the journey and yourself no matter what.
Freedom isn’t just doing what you want – it’s loving what you do. Not because it’s easy, but because it’s meaningful.
Freedom isn’t about having more – it’s about needing less. Less external validation. Less control. Less attachment to things.
When you stop needing success to feel whole, you realize you were whole all along.
Living the 1% Life: What It Looks Like
Waking up with a peaceful mind – not anxious, not dreading the day, but open to it.
Doing work that energizes you – not just for money or status, but because it lights you up.
Loving deeply – not from fear, attachment, or insecurity, but from fullness.
Knowing when to push forward and when to surrender – without panic, without forcing.
Moving through life with confidence – not because you control everything, but because you trust the journey.
It isn’t about luck, privilege, or external circumstances – it’s a deliberate choice, a cultivated mindset, and a commitment to alignment. It’s about mastering the internal before chasing the external.
Guard Your Mind: Your thoughts shape your reality. Explore your beliefs and their origins and challenge your assumptions. Ask yourself questions: Why do I even believe this to be true? What if I didn’t believe this? Identify fear, doubts, hesitations and the lack of congruence between what you say you want and what you believe it’s possible.
Know Your Priorities. Know your Values: Not everything deserves your energy. The 1% Life requires discernment – knowing what matters most and letting go of the rest.
Align with Purpose: Work that energizes you isn’t found – it’s created. Discover what fuels you and build a life around it. A question that had a significant impact on me: What would I do every day with love and passion even if I never got payed for my work?
Redefine The 1% Life on Your Terms: The quickest way to live an unfulfilling life is to chase someone else’s definition of success. The 1% Life means defining success in a way that actually matters to you.
- What does “enough” look like? If you never define it, you’ll always feel like you’re behind. Most people are running races they didn’t even sign up for. Be brutally honest about what you actually want and why.
Because here’s the truth: the life you want isn’t something you chase – it’s something you step into when you have the courage to explore your beliefs, to challenge your assumption and to heal your mind and heart.
You Can Have It All – And Enjoy It All
There’s a version of success that doesn’t burn you out.
A version that doesn’t require sacrificing your peace, your relationships, or yourself.
A life that feels as good as it looks from the outside – that’s the “top,” the 1% Life very few get to enjoy. But it’s available to all.
Shared with Love,
Gabriela
I don’t pretend I KNOW. I write from my experience and from my heart hoping that what I have to share will be the support someone needs on their journey. I reserve the right to be wrong and change my mind as I grow in my own understanding.
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