September 19, 2025 • 11 mins
Are you exhausted from chasing achievement after achievement, yet still feeling empty? You're not alone. This raw and vulnerable episode explores the widespread belief that fulfillment comes from doing more.
The truth? Fulfillment isn't hiding under another layer of achievement; it's waiting to be uncovered beneath the layers you've already built. Through my Four A's framework - Awareness, Attitude, Action, and Alignment - I guide you through the shift from endless striving to authentic becoming. Instead of adding something new to your life, what would happen if you brought more of your authentic self to what you're already doing?
When you stop performing and allow yourself to truly be you, even in small ways at first, you don't just find fulfillment - you become a source of it for everyone around you. Your path to fulfillment isn't about becoming someone new - it's about having the courage to let who you really are shine through everything you choose to do. Listen to that part of you.
Connect with LAURA:
Subscribe to Laura's Peak of the Week:
https://www.lauraeking.com/peak-of-the-week
Checkout Mondo Davison as a Believer Speaker on his website:
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hey, it's Laura.
Welcome to this week's Peak ofthe Week.
You might notice I'm not as,maybe, chipper as past weeks.
I'm tired, to be honest, I amtired and I know I'm not the
only one.
I know I'm not the only one.
So if you're feeling a littleweary, if you are feeling a
little like I need a break, I amright there with you.
(00:25):
In fact, I, in the middle ofthe day today, went out on my
front lawn and I just laid in mygrass just for five minutes and
the sunshine just on me.
That was enough to just lift myspirits a little bit.
So, whatever you need to do foryourself, I give you full
permission, full permission.
(00:46):
Today's Peak of the Week, we aretalking about the myths of what
success is, and this one is allabout fulfillment.
Like does fulfillment come from?
Doing more, achieving more,what do you think?
(01:08):
I meet a lot of people in myjob in my day, so I sift through
lots of patterns, and Irecently had lunch with a friend
and she shared something that Iknow is prevalent and pretty
pervasive.
She holds a senior position ata consulting practice, she
(01:30):
volunteers on two non-profitboards, she mentors two junior
colleagues and she recentlystarted a podcast and when I
asked her how she was feelingabout everything, she paused.
And when I asked her how shewas feeling about everything,
she paused.
It sounded a little somethinglike this Laura, I thought if I
(01:50):
just did more, achieved, more,became more visible in my field,
I'd finally feel like enough.
But I'm exhausted all the time.
My family barely sees me and,honestly, I feel more empty than
(02:11):
I did when I started.
Oh, this one hits close to home.
She'd fallen into the more trap, the belief that fulfillment
comes from adding layers andmore things to who you are,
(02:31):
instead of uncovering who youalready are.
It's slowly stealing the soulsof so many capable people.
So what's the myth?
The myth is fulfillment comesfrom doing more.
Fulfillment comes fromachieving more.
(02:52):
More credentials will make youfeel credible.
More responsibilities will makeyou feel important.
More recognition will make youfeel worthy.
Ignition will make you feelworthy.
More impact will make you feelfulfilled.
So we stack qualification ontop of qualification.
We say yes to opportunity afteropportunity.
(03:15):
We stretch ourselves thinnerand thinner, believing that
somewhere on the other side ofmore, we'll finally find what
we're looking for.
But you know the truth thefulfillment you're seeking is in
hiding under another layer ofachievement.
(03:37):
It's waiting to be uncoveredbeneath the layers you've
already built.
When was the last time you feltgenuinely fulfilled?
Not a temporary high ofaccomplishment or a fleeting
(03:57):
satisfaction of recognition, butthat deep, steady sense of
goodness that comes from beingexactly who you're meant to be.
That comes from being exactlywho you're meant to be.
If you're struggling toremember, it's not because you
haven't achieved enough.
It's because you've beenlooking for yourself in all the
(04:18):
wrong places.
True fulfillment doesn't comefrom doing more.
It comes from becoming more ofwho you already are.
As I discussed in my book ShineBrighter, I've developed a
framework that helps highachievers make the shift from
endless striving to authenticbecoming.
It's called the four A's, andif you know them, shout them
(04:40):
Awareness, attitude, action,alignment.
Here's how it works.
Here's how it works AwarenessSee what's really happening.
The first step is getting honestabout your current pattern.
Are you adding more to yourlife because it genuinely
energizes you or because youthink it will finally make you
(05:04):
feel worthy?
Start noticing when do you feelmost like like yourself?
What activities make you losetrack of time?
When do you feel energizedversus drained?
My friend, she realized that,despite all of her commitments.
The only time she felt trulyalive was during the strategic
(05:27):
planning sessions shefacilitated.
Everything else was just noise,attitude, shift your
relationship with enough.
This is where we challenge thecore belief driving the more
addiction, the idea that you'renot enough as you are.
Instead of asking what else canI achieve, start asking what
(05:53):
would it look like to fullyexpress who I already am.
Instead of how can I do more,ask how could I do what matters
most from my authentic centerAction.
Make aligned choices.
(06:17):
Now here comes the hard partActually saying no.
Actually saying no toopportunities that don't align
with your authentic self, evenwhen they look good on paper.
My friend resigned from one ofher board positions and turned
down several speakingopportunities.
Scary Maybe, sure, but itcreates space for her to go
(06:42):
deeper in the areas that wereactually lighting her up.
And then alignment, integrationto your authentic self.
The final step is bringing yourwhole authentic self to
everything you choose to keep.
No more compartmentalizing, nomore performing different
(07:06):
versions of yourself fordifferent audiences.
When you're aligned, you don'tneed to do more things to feel
fulfilled.
You need a deeper expression ofwho you truly are, your micro
move.
For this week you ready?
You ready to test this out?
(07:27):
Pick one area of your lifewhere you've been trying to do
more to feel fulfilled, insteadof adding something new.
Ask yourself what would it looklike to bring more of my
authentic self to what I'malready doing?
Maybe that means having moregenuine conversations with your
(07:49):
team instead of networking withmore people.
So, instead of going to spreadyourself thin and meet more
people, go deeper with thepeople you already know.
Maybe it means going deeperwith current clients instead of
chasing new ones.
Maybe it means saying no to onecommitment so you can show up
(08:14):
more fully for what remains.
Try one experiment in authenticexpression this week.
See what shifts when you stopadding layers and start
uncovering who you really are.
Your job is not to becomesomeone else.
(08:35):
It's having the courage to letwho you really are shine through
everything you choose to do.
And that kind of authenticityit's magnetic.
It draws the rightopportunities, the right people,
the right kind of success toyou.
When you stop performing andreally think and really allow
(09:04):
yourself to be you in all of theenvironments, or maybe even in
some of the environments.
Maybe just start small.
You don't just find fulfillment.
You become a source foreveryone around you Because your
energy is more in alignment.
(09:27):
You're not trying to besomething you're not.
You're not pushing, strivingMore, more, more, do, do, do.
This is about less chasing,less chasing.
(09:48):
The world needs what you havewhen you give it from your true
self, not a fake version of you,the one that feels good, the
one that feels like an exhale.
Just know you are not alone.
(10:16):
Please know many high achieversare discovering that the answer
isn't just adding more to yourschedule, doing more, but it's
wow, if I were in alignment withmyself.
What can I let go of?
What can I say no to?
What feels more like a hell?
(10:37):
Yes, and you feel that in yourbody.
As my mentor from afar, mrBrendan Burchard, always says
he's like you.
Wow, I just lost.
(10:58):
I just totally lost thatthought.
All right, guys.
Well, that is a true reflectionof where my brain is right now.
Guess what?
It needs rest.
It needs rest.
I remember it now.
(11:20):
You need to feel the day again.
You need to feel the day again.
Too many of us have just beengoing through the motions on
autopilot and we don't feel theday.
What would that feel like?
Just resonate on that, justthink on that.
(11:44):
Just resonate on that, justthink on that and know that I
believe in your magnificence.
Hey, it's Laura.
Welcome to this week's Peak ofthe Week.
You might notice I'm not as,maybe, chipper as past weeks.
I'm tired, to be honest, I amtired and I know I'm not the
only one.
I know I'm not the only one.
So if you're feeling a littleweary, if you are feeling a
little like I need a break, I amright there with you.
(00:25):
In fact, I, in the middle ofthe day today, went out on my
front lawn and I just laid in mygrass just for five minutes and
the sunshine just on me.
That was enough to just lift myspirits a little bit.
So, whatever you need to do foryourself, I give you full
permission, full permission.
(00:46):
Today's Peak of the Week, we aretalking about the myths of what
success is, and this one is allabout fulfillment.
Like does fulfillment come from?
Doing more, achieving more,what do you think?
(01:08):
I meet a lot of people in myjob in my day, so I sift through
lots of patterns, and Irecently had lunch with a friend
and she shared something that Iknow is prevalent and pretty
pervasive.
She holds a senior position ata consulting practice, she
(01:30):
volunteers on two non-profitboards, she mentors two junior
colleagues and she recentlystarted a podcast and when I
asked her how she was feelingabout everything, she paused.
And when I asked her how shewas feeling about everything,
she paused.
It sounded a little somethinglike this Laura, I thought if I
(01:50):
just did more, achieved, more,became more visible in my field,
I'd finally feel like enough.
But I'm exhausted all the time.
My family barely sees me and,honestly, I feel more empty than
(02:11):
I did when I started.
Oh, this one hits close to home.
She'd fallen into the more trap, the belief that fulfillment
comes from adding layers andmore things to who you are,
(02:31):
instead of uncovering who youalready are.
It's slowly stealing the soulsof so many capable people.
So what's the myth?
The myth is fulfillment comesfrom doing more.
Fulfillment comes fromachieving more.
(02:52):
More credentials will make youfeel credible.
More responsibilities will makeyou feel important.
More recognition will make youfeel worthy.
Ignition will make you feelworthy.
More impact will make you feelfulfilled.
So we stack qualification ontop of qualification.
We say yes to opportunity afteropportunity.
(03:15):
We stretch ourselves thinnerand thinner, believing that
somewhere on the other side ofmore, we'll finally find what
we're looking for.
But you know the truth thefulfillment you're seeking is in
hiding under another layer ofachievement.
(03:37):
It's waiting to be uncoveredbeneath the layers you've
already built.
When was the last time you feltgenuinely fulfilled?
Not a temporary high ofaccomplishment or a fleeting
(03:57):
satisfaction of recognition, butthat deep, steady sense of
goodness that comes from beingexactly who you're meant to be.
That comes from being exactlywho you're meant to be.
If you're struggling toremember, it's not because you
haven't achieved enough.
It's because you've beenlooking for yourself in all the
(04:18):
wrong places.
True fulfillment doesn't comefrom doing more.
It comes from becoming more ofwho you already are.
As I discussed in my book ShineBrighter, I've developed a
framework that helps highachievers make the shift from
endless striving to authenticbecoming.
It's called the four A's, andif you know them, shout them
(04:40):
Awareness, attitude, action,alignment.
Here's how it works.
Here's how it works AwarenessSee what's really happening.
The first step is getting honestabout your current pattern.
Are you adding more to yourlife because it genuinely
energizes you or because youthink it will finally make you
(05:04):
feel worthy?
Start noticing when do you feelmost like like yourself?
What activities make you losetrack of time?
When do you feel energizedversus drained?
My friend, she realized that,despite all of her commitments.
The only time she felt trulyalive was during the strategic
(05:27):
planning sessions shefacilitated.
Everything else was just noise,attitude, shift your
relationship with enough.
This is where we challenge thecore belief driving the more
addiction, the idea that you'renot enough as you are.
Instead of asking what else canI achieve, start asking what
(05:53):
would it look like to fullyexpress who I already am.
Instead of how can I do more,ask how could I do what matters
most from my authentic centerAction.
Make aligned choices.
(06:17):
Now here comes the hard partActually saying no.
Actually saying no toopportunities that don't align
with your authentic self, evenwhen they look good on paper.
My friend resigned from one ofher board positions and turned
down several speakingopportunities.
Scary Maybe, sure, but itcreates space for her to go
(06:42):
deeper in the areas that wereactually lighting her up.
And then alignment, integrationto your authentic self.
The final step is bringing yourwhole authentic self to
everything you choose to keep.
No more compartmentalizing, nomore performing different
(07:06):
versions of yourself fordifferent audiences.
When you're aligned, you don'tneed to do more things to feel
fulfilled.
You need a deeper expression ofwho you truly are, your micro
move.
For this week you ready?
You ready to test this out?
(07:27):
Pick one area of your lifewhere you've been trying to do
more to feel fulfilled, insteadof adding something new.
Ask yourself what would it looklike to bring more of my
authentic self to what I'malready doing?
Maybe that means having moregenuine conversations with your
(07:49):
team instead of networking withmore people.
So, instead of going to spreadyourself thin and meet more
people, go deeper with thepeople you already know.
Maybe it means going deeperwith current clients instead of
chasing new ones.
Maybe it means saying no to onecommitment so you can show up
(08:14):
more fully for what remains.
Try one experiment in authenticexpression this week.
See what shifts when you stopadding layers and start
uncovering who you really are.
Your job is not to becomesomeone else.
(08:35):
It's having the courage to letwho you really are shine through
everything you choose to do.
And that kind of authenticityit's magnetic.
It draws the rightopportunities, the right people,
the right kind of success toyou.
When you stop performing andreally think and really allow
(09:04):
yourself to be you in all of theenvironments, or maybe even in
some of the environments.
Maybe just start small.
You don't just find fulfillment.
You become a source foreveryone around you Because your
energy is more in alignment.
(09:27):
You're not trying to besomething you're not.
You're not pushing, strivingMore, more, more, do, do, do.
This is about less chasing,less chasing.
(09:48):
The world needs what you havewhen you give it from your true
self, not a fake version of you,the one that feels good, the
one that feels like an exhale.
Just know you are not alone.
(10:16):
Please know many high achieversare discovering that the answer
isn't just adding more to yourschedule, doing more, but it's
wow, if I were in alignment withmyself.
What can I let go of?
What can I say no to?
What feels more like a hell?
(10:37):
Yes, and you feel that in yourbody.
As my mentor from afar, mrBrendan Burchard, always says
he's like you.
Wow, I just lost.
(10:58):
I just totally lost thatthought.
All right, guys.
Well, that is a true reflectionof where my brain is right now.
Guess what?
It needs rest.
It needs rest.
I remember it now.
(11:20):
You need to feel the day again.
You need to feel the day again.
Too many of us have just beengoing through the motions on
autopilot and we don't feel theday.
What would that feel like?
Just resonate on that, justthink on that.
(11:44):
Just resonate on that, justthink on that and know that I
believe in your magnificence.
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