When Success Feels Unfair
Let’s be honest — sometimes success looks unfair. You see people rising fast, landing promotions, earning more money, and seemingly breaking every rule of professional growth while doing it.
You think, “They don’t have half the skills I’ve worked so hard to build.”
I’ve been there. I’ve seen people rise without EQ, strategy, or patience — and it can make you question the whole system. But as I’ve learned in my journey from NASA to entrepreneurship, comparison is a trap that kills gratitude and growth.
Sometimes, God lets you see other people’s temporary victories as a reminder that you’re playing a longer game. Their story is not your strategy.
The Short Game vs. The Long Game
Psalm 37:1–2 says:
“Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong;
for like the grass, they will soon wither, like green plants, they will soon die away.”
It’s not your business to wonder how or why others “win.” Your business is to keep sharpening your skills and growing your impact.
Short-game success chases fame, money, and applause.
Long-game leadership builds faith, character, and legacy.
Fame fades fast. Integrity compounds.
My Lesson in the Long Game
Two of the worst jobs I ever had turned out to be the most formative.
One was in infectious disease management. The other was serving as acting CIO during one of the hardest seasons of my career. Both roles were uncomfortable, humbling, and full of challenges I didn’t want to face.
But years later, I realized those seasons were training ground, not punishment. They refined my patience, courage, and empathy — the very traits that later fueled my leadership success.
Growth isn’t always glamorous. Sometimes it’s just grit, grace, and getting up when you’d rather quit.
When You’re in the Waiting
We live in a culture addicted to speed — instant promotions, instant influence, instant validation.
But here’s what faith has taught me:
You can’t microwave mastery.
You can’t shortcut character.
The long game requires you to trust the process when the reward isn’t visible yet.
The paycheck you’re chasing might not come through your salary. It might come through growth, through influence, or through the people whose lives you change simply by showing up consistently.
That’s the Next-Level Paycheck mindset — believing that impact outlasts income.
What Playing the Long Game Looks Like
- Stay Consistent When It’s Quiet. Success happens in the silence of effort, not the noise of applause.
- Value Lessons Over Likes. Feedback from failure is more valuable than fleeting recognition.
- Trust God’s Timing. Some doors are delayed because your foundation needs to strengthen first.
- Measure Growth, Not Just Gains. Your paycheck will catch up to your preparation.
Final Thought
The next-level paycheck doesn’t show up overnight. It’s earned through faith, consistency, and courage in the unseen seasons.
Don’t envy someone else’s sprint when you were built for a marathon.
Keep running your race — because the long game pays the biggest dividends.
