This put me on my dream path of being an operative in the CIA.

This was after earning a prestigious Master’s degree and studying intensive Dari and Arabic on the weekends.

I held a leadership role with influence over U.S. foreign policy objectives in Central Asia — particularly Afghanistan — to prepare civilians for the frontline of the war on terror. I was making roughly six figures, racking up awards, promotions, and countless compliments and approving smiles from the people in my life who watched as my career trajectory skyrocketed.

This had been my dream for so long, and the fact that I’d achieved it could mean only one thing: I was successful.

… Or at least that’s what the world told me I was.

In the years since then, I left the world of intelligence and became a career coach… Natural career pivot, right?

I’ve seen so many of my career coaching clients struggle in similar circumstances: They are working hard and getting everything they thought they wanted, only to find that they still don’t feel “successful.” In the course of working with these clients, I’ve identified a few steps to help them find success on their own terms.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ashleystahl/2015/09/01/four-ways-to-be-more-successful-in-your-career/