Success Isn’t Linear and That’s Okay

Last year, while my wife and I were planning for our wedding in Vietnam, one thing we knew for sure was that we needed an emcee who could move effortlessly between Vietnamese and English so that both sides of our families could stay connected and that all guests would be present throughout the wedding day. That’s how we met Sebastian. Born and raised in Vietnam, he spoke flawless (British accent) English and carried himself with an authenticity that immediately stood out to us and wanted to work with.

And what began as a simple professional meet and greet, eventually turned into an unexpected friendship. Since the wedding, every time we’ve returned to visit Vietnam, we’ve made an effort to meet up with him, and whether it’s for street food or coffee our conversations always span everything from life in Vietnam to career questions to what fulfillment really means.

During our most recent visit, Sebastian shared his story of how he found his path as a wedding emcee. He talked about how terrible he once was at English as a kid, barely passing classes, before eventually majoring in the subject and turning it into one of his core day-to-day necessities of his career. After graduating university, he realized that what energized him wasn’t sitting behind a desk or chasing titles. Instead, he felt alive on stage, speaking publicly, connecting with others, and creating memorable moments. And how he decided to take a leap of faith into freelancing and working for himself, choosing purpose, creativity, and flexibility over the predictability of the corporate route.

Listening to his story made me reflect on my own journey. For most of my career (albeit short), I focused on the external markers of success, titles, salaries, recognition, because that’s what I grew up believing it meant to “make it” successfully. But during this last month of time off after leaving my main pharmacy role (with more to share on what’s next in a future post), I’ve realized that fulfillment isn’t found in what you achieve, but in whether your work aligns with who you are. And it matters, because when there’s a disconnect between the work you do and what you genuinely value or believe in, it often leads to frustration, burnout, and a gradual decline in your overall quality of life, none of which are worth carrying long-term.

Now, I don’t suddenly mean that everyone needs to now go into freelance or create something on their own. As Sebastian and I agreed, there’s nothing wrong with a corporate job.

"The real goal is finding work you genuinely enjoy, work that doesn’t drain you but feels meaningful in your own way."

Sebastian’s story reminded me that success isn’t one-size-fits-all. Some people find purpose by building something themselves; others find it through contributing to a mission within an organization. Neither path is better, it’s simply just about finding alignment.

Work takes up so much of our lives. It can be long, demanding, and exhausting. So if we’re dedicating so much of ourselves to it, shouldn’t it be towards something that brings us energy rather than drains it? Something that reflects who we are and what we value?

In the end, fulfillment isn’t about quitting having structure or taking reckless risks. It’s about shaping a life that feels in accordance with who we are instead of just a means to an end.

That’s what I took away from my conversation with Sebastian and maybe that’s the version of success worth striving for.

A personal note to Sebastian: "Thank you for always making time to meet with us whenever we visit Vietnam. I’m grateful our paths crossed and for the friendship that followed. Wishing you all the best as you keep growing your emcee career, we’ll be cheering you on from afar through social media."

Check out Sebastian's Instagram here: @mcdaiduongmail.seb