Waiting for the World to Say You’re “Enough”

There was a time in my life when I was doing everything I could to prove myself—waiting for the world’s validation to finally feel “enough.”
At 17, I was told to pick an “ology,” forge a career path, and decide who I was supposed to be. I thought I had to choose early on, stick with it, and excel at one specific thing. But life had other plans.
I flunked out of college after 6 years, overwhelmed by a system that didn’t make sense to me. Testing and writing came easy, but busy work felt meaningless.
On the day of the commencement ceremony, I invested $50 in a ticket—not to celebrate, but to buy time.
I wasn’t ready to tell my mom I had failed. That day, sitting in the audience of a ceremony I wasn’t truly part of, something sparked inside me.
Hearing the commencement speaker, I realized this: stories have the power to shape people’s identities.
They help us reflect on who we really are, showing us that failure and success are both critical pieces of our lives.
This awareness became the foundation of my mission to live a life full of stories and help others do the same.
For more about embracing the stories that shape your life, check out my post on rewriting your inner stories to foster fulfillment.
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Affiliate Disclaimer:
This post contains an affiliate link for Kaley Chu’s Speaker Training, which I personally took and genuinely believe in. If you use this link, I may receive a commission, but I only recommend programs that align with my values and have created real transformation in my life.
Pursuing External Validation Through Status

After that moment, I convinced myself that external achievements could give me the validation I needed.
I swore to get into medical school, thinking prestige and status would make me worthy.
This drive sent me back to college, earning degrees while juggling work and pre-med courses.
Still feeling inadequate, I pursued even more credentials—a master’s degree, a doctoral program, anything to prove I was enough.
But something wasn’t clicking.
The systems I navigated felt misaligned with my values, and I began to notice how people around me had stopped questioning what was normalized.
They turned blind eyes to things that didn’t sit right with me.
I couldn’t ignore it any longer. I walked away, tired of trying to conform to expectations that weren’t aligned with my truth.
It reminded me that personal growth and leadership require balancing authenticity with ambition, a concept I expand on in building balance in a relationship.
Start the journey today with Kaley Chu’s Speaker Training.
I Found My Voice in Storytelling
For too long, I had been chasing credentials and titles, thinking they gave me identity.
But when I stepped onto a stage and shared my vulnerable truth through storytelling, everything started to make sense.
Speaking my story out loud reconnected me to my values and allowed me to align with my vision.
One of the speeches I gave was called, “When Does a Spark Become a Flame?” It captured my journey of discovering my passions.
Through Kaley Chu’s Speaker Training, this clarity became even crisper.
I learned not just to share my stories but to connect them with impact and intention—healing my identity while inspiring others.
For anyone struggling with vulnerability or confrontation, I recommend starting with overcoming fear of confrontation as a step toward reclaiming their voice like I did.
Your Story Reflects Who You Are
Here’s what I wish I had known earlier: Your story doesn’t need to be flawless to have meaning.
Every failure, every bold leap, and every quiet moment of hesitation is part of what makes your story real—and real stories resonate most with others.
Storytelling isn’t just for stages. It’s a creative tool for self-discovery, alignment, and building stronger connections.
It helps us shift the way we handle challenges, such as balancing hyperfixations or navigating tough conversations in collaborative relationships.
Through Kaley Chu’s Speaker Training, I learned to:
- Share my truth without fear of judgment.
- Reflect deeply on what my decisions revealed about my values.
- Use storytelling’s transformative power to redefine identity.
For those just getting started, it also helps to explore personal self-awareness, a crucial step in connecting with what makes your story authentic.
Start the journey today with Kaley Chu’s Speaker Training.
Stop Waiting for Permission
There will always be societal voices urging us to wait—to chase the “right” credential, moment, or title. But external validation isn’t necessary to live in alignment.
Learning to tell my story helped me stop waiting for permission.
Through creative storytelling, I began connecting with the values that matter most to me.
I aligned my choices with those values, rather than societal expectations.
If this resonates, you may also be inspired by my post on curating your environment for clarity and alignment.
Own Your Story. Live Your Truth.
Your story isn’t defined by the titles you earn or the roles the world expects you to play—it’s defined by the choices you make and how you honor who you are.
Storytelling serves as the bridge between identity, values, and action.
Through Kaley Chu’s Speaker Training, I’ve brought clarity and alignment to my stories and gained the tools to confidently share my truth.
Now, I help others reflect, align, and inspire through their own stories.
The reflections I share in this post come from my journey through a patchwork of roles—mentor, coach, writer, speaker, and more—each adding a unique perspective to help others.
To explore how storytelling aligns with personal growth principles, check out my thoughts on intentional living pillars or the exploration of creating fulfilling habits.
Who are you to not honor your life’s creative spark, share your journey, and live fully aligned with your passions?
Start that incredible journey today through Kaley Chu’s Speaker Training.

DJ is a lifestyle enthusiast and founder of Pleasure Led Life, dedicated to helping others embrace a low-demand lifestyle filled with joy, balance, and personal fulfillment. With a passion for living authentically and prioritizing what truly matters, DJ shares practical tips and insights to guide you on your journey to a more pleasurable, stress-free life.