Lost in Success: Finding Your Way Back to Presence and Purpose

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I have noticed a trend that’s echoed from my previous life in corporate sales and management into my current life of service to personal transformation:

In the relentless pursuit of success, many high-achieving men and women (myself included) wake up one day to a stark realization: despite all they’ve built, they feel disconnected and unfulfilled. Something isn’t adding up. The life they’ve spent years creating—through career milestones, financial growth, and external accomplishments—has left them estranged from themselves, their families, their deeper purpose, and the activities that once brought them peace.

This pattern isn’t exclusive to those who have achieved conventional success, yet there is a particular form of cognitive dissonance—I know it well—that plays out in those who have attained a certain level of affluence and status. I experienced it like this: I work hard, do all the things I’m supposed to do, make good money, and have access to luxury items and experiences that are supposed to make it all worthwhile… So why don’t I feel happy? Fulfilled? Satisfied? What the hell am I missing?

The disconnection wasn’t obvious at first, and even as it became clearer, I tried to ignore it. I actively strove to shut it down. No matter my efforts, it continued to creep in gradually. The long work hours, the constant striving, and the need to always be “on” in both professional and personal life left little space for true presence and authenticity. Let’s face it—I didn’t even know what true presence and authenticity were. What remained was an underlying sense of emptiness, a subtle but persistent feeling that something essential had been lost, and a desire to find and do something meaningful with my life.

The Cost of Disconnection

When we lose connection with our true selves and our purpose, the effects ripple outward into our world. Relationships suffer. Our ability to experience joy diminishes. We may struggle with burnout, anxiety, or a deep dissatisfaction and restlessness. The natural rhythms of life—the changing seasons, the slow unfolding of personal growth, the deepening of relationships—can feel distant, drowned out by the noise of constant ambition, comparison, and striving.

Success, when untethered from purpose and defined solely by material achievement, becomes hollow. True fulfillment is not found in endless achievement but in the quality of our connections—to ourselves, to others, and to something greater.

The Path Back to Presence

The good news is that reconnection is possible. The real good news is that the disconnection we perceive isn’t even actually true. We simply need to remember that we’re always in connection—we’ve just stopped being present to and nurturing those connections. The journey back to a grounded, meaningful life requires intentional shifts, and the rewards are profound. 

It’s worth noting that this pursuit falls squarely into the “simple, but not easy” category of both humanistic and spiritual practices.

Here are some key steps:

Reconnecting with Nature

Immersing ourselves in the natural world isn’t just about relaxation; it’s about remembering. Nature has a way of stripping away the noise, bringing clarity, and inviting us to ground ourselves in what truly matters. When we go into nature intentionally—say when walking a forest trail—we shift from moving through the forest to being in the forest. And that changes everything.

Cultivating Deep Presence

Slowing down, breathing deeply, and allowing yourself to be fully in the present moment—whether with your family, in solitude, in ceremony, or even at the grocery store—will transform your experience of life. Cultivating the sensitivity required to be acutely present to what is alive inside of us at any given moment also allows us to tune in and decipher what energies are alive around us. From this place, we are more able to act with awareness and intentionality, influencing reality in ways that invite more peace, safety, joy, love, and abundance.

Realigning with Your Inner Truth

What is calling you? What parts of yourself have been neglected? Where have you adopted other people’s stories as your own? Do you know how to connect with and listen to the voices that are always trying to guide you back to wholeness? Through guided self-inquiry and intentional practice, you can rediscover your clarity, purpose, and passion.

Engaging in Meaningful Community

True connection isn’t built through surface-level, transactional networking; it’s forged in spaces where authenticity is welcomed—where we can be seen and supported in our fullest expression. Where we are not measuring the quality of interactions and connections by what we can get from them.

A Guided Journey to Reconnection

This is the foundation of my work. I particularly love guiding those who have reached outward success and are craving something deeper—those who feel the longing to be fully alive, grounded, and present in order to clarify and propel their mission further than they’ve ever dreamed possible. Through transformative nature-based experiences, mentorship, and deep inquiry, I guide individuals back to remembrance of what it’s like to live a life of peace, clarity, and fulfillment.

If this resonates with you, I invite you to take the first step. Whether through a weekend retreat, a guided expedition, an online course, or a simple conversation, there is a path back to wholeness. And it begins with choosing to reconnect.

The way home is waiting.

I’d be honored to walk beside you on the path.

Check out my Offerings on www.brettsanger.ca to learn more, or book a connection call with me here.

#Leadership #Success #SelfDiscovery #Inspiration #PersonalGrowth #ProfessionalDevelopment #Burnout #WorkLifeBalance #MentalHealth