The Cost Of Giving It All

What success can’t give you.

Photo by Frederik Löwer on Unsplash

The Cost of Giving Your All: What Success Can’t Give You

You hear it all the time, people struggling to find a work-life balance. As an educator, I’m surrounded by colleagues who carry their responsibilities home every day. Every email, text, phone call, and to-do list item feels urgent, as if the world will stop spinning if it’s not handled immediately.

But here’s a hard truth: It won’t. We are lying to ourselves if we think we are that important. I’m not trying to be mean here, but we have to start recognizing and identifying what is truly important.

Are you a struggling workaholic? Do you feel irreplaceable? Do you think your workplace wouldn’t know what to do without you? I hate to break it to you, but while you might hear those things from others, the reality is different. When you’re gone, the wheels keep turning.

Every star athlete retires, and another steps up in their place. Steve Jobs passed away, and Tim Cook continued running Apple as if he never left. You can miss a week of school, and your students will get along just fine with a substitute. While it might feel like everything depends on you, it’s time to stop giving ourselves so much credit.

This isn’t meant to devalue you—it’s meant to help you shift your focus to what truly matters.

Success does not satisfy. The world has nothing to offer that can satisfy your soul. Not money. Not career success. Not championships. Not material items.

Take it from someone who has reached the highest levels of success.

After winning the Super Bowl, Eagles receiver A.J. Brown reflected, “I tried to feel how everyone made it seem to be a champion, and unfortunately, it was short-lived… two days to be exact.”

Shaquille O’Neal, one of the greatest basketball players ever, shared his biggest regret with Travis Kelce on The Big Podcast With Shaq. Sitting in his mansion, he said, “I lost my whole family… (but) I’m in a 100,000-square-foot house by myself.” His success didn’t shield him from loneliness… it gave life to it.

Even Tom Brady, after winning his third Super Bowl, famously said, “I have three Super Bowl rings, and still I think there’s got to be something greater out there. This can’t be what it’s all cracked up to be.”

What does this tell us?

1. Being successful in your career—even at the highest level—can be overrated.

2. You can be the best in the world, devoted to your craft, making more money than most people dream of, owning everything you ever wanted, and still feel empty.

What Truly Matters?

If you pour everything into your work and neglect your faith, your family, and the relationships that bring you joy, don’t be surprised when you wake up one day feeling like you gave your all… and lost what mattered most.

The world celebrates this “grind” culture, but what if the grind can bring temporary success but leave you feeling worse? What if the real win isn’t another career milestone but the moments you spend with the people who love you?

Success fades, y’all. Work moves on without you. But the impact you make in the lives of others… The relationships you build, the love you give, and the faith that grows in you - those are the things that last. What foundation are you building your life on?

So before you sacrifice everything for the sake of winning at work, ask yourself: What are you actually winning? Is it possible you aren’t?

***Quick Note***

Please understand I am not attempting to communicate that our work doesn’t matter. I’m not stating that we should find mindless jobs that have us check ourselves out 8-10 hours a day. Work is very important in our lives. In fact, Timothy Keller, in his book Every Good Endeavor, stated that “without meaningful work, we will have a sense of emptiness. Even so, that’s more of a reason to find the balance between work and rest.” Timothy Keller also points out how often we tend to seek affirmation and validation through our work which leads us to thrusting our lives into our jobs and seeking accomplishments over everything else. My hope with this blog is to caution us against that and to seek a balance to find where our priorities lie. My intent behind this post is one of concern. I look around and see so many people giving their entire self to a place or cause that is not going to return that loyalty. And at what cost? Lonely children? Broken marriage? Strained relationships? We keep going and going for places that will continue to survive long after we are gone. In Ecclesiastes Soloman reflects on his search for meaning in life and concludes nothing on earth can fully satisfy us. Matthew 16:26 states “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”

Praying for you all. Now go spend some time with your family and friends, watch your team, eat some good food, and have yourselves a day!