Dear Diary: Letting Go of the Ambition to be Extraordinary

By
Hannah Kissel
July 29, 2025
•
16
min
Find it on
Green circle with black stylized sound waves representing the Spotify logo.
Spotify
Icon of a person with concentric circles representing a podcast or audio broadcast.
Apple Podcasts
Red YouTube play button icon with a white triangle in the center.
Youtube

About the episode

The tension between the desire for perfection and the profound fear of being ordinary often creates immense pressure for high achievers. You can relieve this pressure by shifting your focus from a mindset of exceptionalism to one of genuine contentment. In this episode of Hannah Hotline, Life Coach Hannah Kissel reflects on her personal journey of letting go of the ambition to be extraordinary. She discusses the impact of childhood programming on your ambitions and explains the phenomenon of post-achievement depression that occurs right after reaching your goals. She also addresses the common misconception that relationships solve personal issues and highlights why living a balanced life is absolutely crucial for your well-being.

Heading 1

Heading 2

Heading 3

Heading 4

Heading 5
Heading 6

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

Block quote

Ordered list

  1. Item 1
  2. Item 2
  3. Item 3

Unordered list

  • Item A
  • Item B
  • Item C

Text link

Bold text

Emphasis

Superscript

Subscript

Key Takeaways:

  • Hannah embraces imperfection and believes in progress over perfection.
  • She has a strong desire to be extraordinary, which she grapples with.
  • The fear of being ordinary can hinder personal growth and aspirations.
  • Childhood programming influences our beliefs about success and achievement.
  • High achievers often face post-achievement depression after reaching their goals.
  • Hannah reflects on the misconception that relationships solve personal issues.
  • She acknowledges the need to shift from a mindset of exceptionalism to one of contentment.
  • Living a balanced life is crucial for mental health and well-being.
  • Hannah is in a process of self-discovery and personal growth.
  • She invites feedback from her audience to better support her community.

Want to see how coaching can accelerate your life and career?

Book a 15-minute coaching consultation call with Hannah.

I'm Hannah

Executive Coach, columnist, podcaster, and speaker.

My mission is to help high-performing leaders become more confident, successful, and fulfilled in their careers.

Smiling woman in light suit sitting on sofa holding a microphone for podcast or recording.

The Ultimate Career Confidence Course

Discover how to show up with more confidence in high-pressure meetings, advocate for yourself at work, and be the leader you know you can be.

Access the Free Course Now


Executive Coaching

If you want to learn how executive coaching can further your confidence and career, schedule a call here.

SCHEDULE A CALL

More from

Hannah Hotline

Start Listening today

Read Hannah Hotline in The Daily Telegraph

We've gone analog! You can find Hannah Hotline, Hannah's career advice column and podcast, every other Tuesday in The Daily Telegraph, one of Australia's largest newspapers.

Smiling woman with wavy hair sitting on a beige armchair with a light-colored dog on her lap.