YOU MADE IT… NOW WHAT? Why High Achievers Feel Empty After They “Make It” episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 5, 2026 · 1H 1M

YOU MADE IT… NOW WHAT? Why High Achievers Feel Empty After They “Make It”

from Think in Cursive · host Brandon Leonard

What happens when you finally achieve the things you thought would make you happy, career success, financial security, recognition, influence, and still find yourself asking, “Is this it?”In this episode, we take a deeper look at the uncomfortable side of success: what happens when your career becomes your identity, when chasing the next goal becomes a way of life, and when the things you worked so hard to achieve no longer feel as meaningful as they once did.The conversation goes beyond money and career. We talk about purpose, retirement, fear, leadership, relationships, vulnerability, and the importance of play and curiosity and why successful people can become so focused on winning that they forget how to actually live.We also explore what it means to step outside the roles and expectations that define us, create deeper connections with the people around us, and stop measuring our lives solely by what we accomplish.🎙️This Week's Guest: Von WrightVon Wright is a husband, father, grandfather, longtime business leader, coach, and entrepreneur with more than three decades of experience across technology, consulting, strategy, and large-scale IT operations. He has been a partner in a Global Five consultancy and has spent much of his career helping organizations navigate change and rethink what's possible.Today, Von focuses on Second Half Coaching and Lifters of Men, an initiative dedicated to helping men strengthen their hearts and souls so they can positively impact the lives of others. His perspective on success, purpose, leadership, and what it means to live a meaningful life comes from years of experience and from learning to question the rules rather than simply follow them.🎙️About Think in Cursive PodcastWe spend so much of our lives working, achieving, building, and chasing the next thing. But somewhere along the way, we can forget how to slow down, stay curious, and actually enjoy the life we're building.Think in Cursive podcast explores the role of play in daily life and what it can teach us about how we work, lead, create, connect, and live.Through honest conversations with thinkers and doers, we go deeper than the usual success stories, exploring the questions underneath them: What makes a meaningful life? How do we stay curious Who are we when our work is no longer our identity? And why does play matter more as we get older?

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YOU MADE IT… NOW WHAT? Why High Achievers Feel Empty After They “Make It”

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