At the end of last year, I turned 30. And with the birthday came that question that tends to show up every so often: "Am I on the right path?"

I look around and see a lot of people early in their careers already chasing high positions, high salaries, and status. And when it doesn't happen fast, the blame falls on the market, on college, on the company... on anything external.

We live in a fast-paced era. Comparison is constant. Everything feels instant. And the promise of "easy success" is everywhere.

Today, a new CEO, CTO, or Founder of this or that pops up every day, as if that were the only possible path.

But let me tell you something: success is relative.

And no, I'm not saying you need to spend your whole life at the same company, for example.

Not what you expected? Change it. Want to work remote and the company doesn't offer it? Look for another one. Not feeling valued? Go find somewhere you do. You're free to build your own journey, your own way.

What worries me is that a lot of people are guiding themselves by shortcuts, empty promises, or trying to copy success stories that aren't theirs.

And in all that rush, they forget to look inward, to understand their own timing, their own pace.

I, for example, found out I'm doing fine as an employee. I have quality of life, stable income, and health. That's enough for me, for now.

Starting a business can also be amazing, it's just not a race everyone needs to start at the same time. In my case, it just means respecting my own timing and my own choices, without running over my own path trying to meet expectations that aren't even mine.

Maybe I sound conservative to some people. But when I look at my own path, I see something solidly built, with steady growth.

I've been earning my place little by little, at my own pace, and that lets me live in a way that feels good to me.

In the end, I'll leave a simple but reflective question:

Are you building a career with purpose, or just chasing a success that someone told you you should want?