Success is no guarantee against a crisis of meaning at work

30.07.2026

Blog - Article 1

Success doesn’t protect you from a crisis of meaning at work—sometimes it’s what triggers it

You’ve done everything right. You’ve taken on responsibility, developed your skills, and earned recognition. And yet, sometimes you sit there—in the middle of a meeting, in the midst of a perfectly normal day—and feel that one uncomfortable thought: “Things can’t stay this way.”

Why Successful Women Are Affected in Particular

It’s a misconception to believe that an existential crisis primarily affects people who have failed professionally. In my work, I see the opposite: The women who come to me have rarely failed. They’ve “made it”—and it’s precisely there that they realize that “making it” feels empty.

Your professional role feels confining. Too small. No longer true to yourself. You’re functioning—but you’re no longer thriving. The fire that once fueled you is now just a faint glow. And you wonder where the woman has gone who was full of energy, courage, and inner conviction.

What's Really Behind It

It is the search for meaning in your work that calls to you—the longing for a professional life that aligns with your identity: for depth, for meaning, for impact. You feel: “There is more within me that wants to be lived out.” More strength. More presence. More influence.

This isn’t ingratitude. It’s the moment when your inner truth becomes greater than the role you’re currently playing. Developmental psychology describes this as well: Identity isn’t a fixed state, but a lifelong, dynamic process—especially during times of upheaval, such as a career transition, it’s often renegotiated.

Perhaps you’re one of those women who go through life with curiosity and sense that something within you is waiting to be lived out. This very aspiration has a name: Psychologist Abraham Maslow called it self-actualization—the entirely natural human desire to realize one’s own potential. This is not a selfish desire. Those who follow this call usually grow beyond themselves in a way that also benefits others. So your desire to move forward is not a flaw—it’s healthy, human, and deserves to be taken seriously.

I know this feeling well myself. I, too, have always kept searching because I sensed that there was more to me than what I was currently living. The longing for growth has always been a powerful driving force for me—sometimes even pushing me to the limits of what’s possible. That’s exactly why I know: This desire to move forward is not a sign of restlessness, but of vitality.

Why You Can't Get Out of This on Your Own—and Why That's Not a Failure

What’s holding you back isn’t just a lack of courage. It’s old patterns: the belief that you first have to “earn” the right to take a step forward. The fear of disappointing those around you. Doubts about your own competence, even though objectively everything points to the fact that you’ve long been ready.

If you could have broken free from these patterns on your own, you would have done so long ago. You can’t break free from patterns you don’t even see yourself. That requires an outside perspective.

Where Real Change Begins

“Those who look outward dream; those who look inward awaken.” What C. G. Jung summed up so simply in a single sentence is also confirmed by modern psychology: The self-determination theory developed by psychologists Deci and Ryan shows that lasting change is not imposed from the outside, but arises from within. That is precisely why, for me, every journey begins in the same place—with a renewed, strong sense of self. Only when you see yourself clearly again will the path outward become clear as well.

The First Step

A crisis of purpose at work isn’t a step backward. It’s the moment when you realize you’re ready for more—and that you can allow yourself to reach for it.

If this resonates with you right now: You don’t have to walk this path alone. I help women use this very moment to develop clarity, strength, and a professional identity that truly suits them.

Ready for a career change? Schedule a free introductory consultation—I look forward to getting to know you.

Academic References: Deci & Ryan on self-determination theory; developmental psychology on identity formation during periods of transition; Maslow on self-actualization.