In today’s fast-paced world, the chase for success often overshadows the quest for fulfillment. Many of us are trained to pursue external goals—financial security, prestigious titles, and societal recognition—without recognizing that true satisfaction lies in aligning our lives with our intrinsic values, strengths, and purpose. The journey of self-awareness and fulfillment requires us to delve deeper into our potential and confront both the gifts and the burdens that shape our path.
A Wake-Up Call: The Turning Point Toward Self-Improvement
For Alan Lazaros, CEO of Next Level University, the tipping point came through a near-fatal car accident. At 26 years old, Alan was already highly successful, working as a computer engineer and earning a six-figure salary. However, despite his professional accomplishments, he was profoundly unfulfilled. It wasn’t until his car crash—a vivid reminder of the fleeting nature of life—that Alan reevaluated his direction and began to confront deeper questions of purpose and meaning.
This “mortality moment” became a catalyst for change. As Alan describes, he had always been driven by achievement and improvement, but primarily in an external sense. The accident forced him to confront the existential question of what truly mattered. It sparked a journey toward self-improvement focused not just on external success but on developing emotional intelligence, introspection, and a deeper connection to his purpose.
The Path from Success to Fulfillment
Alan’s story is not uncommon. Many of us have been conditioned to chase goals that align with external metrics of success but not necessarily with what brings us personal satisfaction. Whether it's the high-paying corporate job, the title that comes with prestige, or achieving certain societal milestones, we may find ourselves professionally successful but personally unfulfilled.
Alan refers to this condition as being "successful but unfulfilled." In this state, you may have hard skills, accolades, and financial stability, but you lack the emotional and personal growth that brings true joy and contentment. On the other end of the spectrum, some people experience the reverse—feeling deeply fulfilled but without the financial success to sustain it.
The key to unlocking both success and fulfillment, Alan suggests, lies in aligning three crucial elements:
- What fulfills you – The activities, values, and pursuits that give your life meaning.
- What you’re good at – The skills, talents, and strengths that set you apart.
- What is profitable – The areas where you can create financial sustainability and impact.
When these three elements intersect, you find the sweet spot—a life where you are successful and fulfilled. However, reaching this alignment often requires rethinking our goals and recalibrating our expectations.
The Importance of Accurate Self-Awareness
A key component of this alignment is having a clear and accurate sense of self-awareness. Alan uses a simple but profound analogy of a GPS: for a GPS to work, it needs three things—an accurate, current location, a clear destination, and an understanding of the terrain. Similarly, to navigate our lives successfully, we need to know where we truly stand, where we want to go, and what obstacles might arise.
Alan explains that many people set goals based on a version of themselves that isn’t real. They might aspire to goals that don't align with their authentic abilities or interests, leading to frustration and disillusionment. Accurate self-awareness is the foundation for setting goals that are both realistic and inspiring.
Alan emphasizes the need to align “what you want others to believe about you” with “what you want to believe about yourself” and “what you actually are.” The closer these three aspects align, the more authentic and fulfilled your life becomes.
The Four Trauma Responses and Their Impact
Another insightful aspect of Alan’s journey is how early-life trauma influenced his ambition and drive. He discusses the concept of trauma responses—fight, flight, freeze, and fawn. Alan's dominant response was “fight,” which manifested in his relentless pursuit of achievement. He buried the pain of losing his father and navigating challenging family dynamics by throwing himself into work and education.
However, as he delved deeper into self-improvement, Alan realized that while his fight response had led to external success, it had also prevented him from addressing unresolved emotional pain. By recognizing and addressing this, he could shift from simply being “successful” to being fulfilled.
Maximizing Potential: From Self-Belief to Action
Alan's journey highlights the critical importance of maximizing one’s potential. He distinguishes between underachieving people relative to their potential and those who may have inflated views of their abilities. True fulfillment comes from knowing you’re putting everything you have into everything you do.
Alan’s coaching focuses on helping individuals realize their untapped potential by building self-awareness and self-belief. For many people, the issue isn’t that they lack talent or intelligence but rather that they don’t believe in themselves enough to push their limits. Others might be successful but are held back by a lack of humility or inaccurate self-perception. Both groups need to find a balance between self-confidence and humility to achieve their highest potential.
Redefining Success and Fulfillment
As Alan’s experience shows, the journey toward fulfillment is often a process of reevaluation and realignment. It requires shifting from a focus on external success—titles, income, status—to internal success, where growth, purpose, and contribution are the main drivers.
By integrating self-awareness, focusing on both strengths and passions and continuously pushing ourselves to grow, we can create a life that is not only financially sustainable but also deeply rewarding.
Alan’s story reminds us that success without fulfillment is hollow. The true aim should be to combine the two, to live a life where your work, your passions, and your impact are in harmony. It’s a challenge, but as Alan illustrates, it’s a journey worth taking.
Contact Alan @ Next Level University
Instagram: @alazaros88
Facebook: @alan.lazaros
LinkedIn: @alanlazarosllc
YouTube: @NextLevelUniversity
NextLevelUniverse.com
