Uncovering Success
Sometimes success arrives disguised as sweat, chaos, and a ladder wedged into a tiny car. This article turns an ordinary frustrating Monday into a sharp, relatable reflection on resilience, self-trust, and the quiet power of reframing. With warmth, humor, and a memorable final image, it reminds readers that success is not always about flawless days, but about recognizing how much we carried and kept going anyway.
8/14/20263 min read
Every morning, as a part of my morning routine, I pull a random card from a deck given to me by my first coach about seven years ago. Each card carries a single adjective as an affirmation. Like a compass for the day ahead.
This Monday, I pulled: "I am successful"
I can honestly tell you: I did not feel it. It was a heavy, chaotic day. On top of a full workday, I was juggling the endless tail-end demands of our move. The property manager of my old apartment had informed me – without prior consultation – that the water meters needed replacing, ordering me to be there. (A classic display of German service mindset.)
I squeezed it in. The craftsman was fast, but my luck ran out shortly after. I embarked on a 40-minute walk to return my old internet modem and drop off an old laptop for electronics recycling. When I arrived, Telekom could only print a return label for the modem, and the recycling shop turned out to be permanently closed.
Sweaty, frustrated, and dragging a modem and an old laptop through the heat, an angry voice shouted in my head: "Where is that frickin' success in any of this?!"
Yet, the day went on. Next stop: buying a 2.10-meter (nearly 7-foot) ladder to install the ceiling lights in our new home. Standing in the store, I looked at the ladder, then thought of my compact, not so flexible Opel Corsa. The odds looked ridiculous. But if there is one thing my brain excels at, it is fitting things into impossible spaces. I angled and adjusted until the ladder was in and the trunk clicked shut.
By the time I got home, I was mentally drained. I finished my workday, laced up my running shoes, and stepped out into a brutal 38°C (100°F) heat. It was my first run in two weeks and my first in our new neighborhood. I didn't know the routes yet, but my spirit desperately needed the movement.
As I jogged a slow, short loop, the rhythm of my steps began to clear the static. I started taking inventory of the day: I had completed a full day of work and managed the critical appointments. I had solved the impossible geometry homework of the ladder. I was out here, moving my body despite the exhaustion.
Just as the feeling of quiet accomplishment started to set in, a massive delivery truck drove past me on the road. Printed across the entire side in bold letters was the company name: "Schlecht Logistik" ("Bad Logistics"). I burst out laughing right there on the pavement. Looking at the truck, I told myself: "You know what? You are indeed successful. You definitely made better decisions today than the marketing director who approved that name; and their business still seems to be running!"
It is easy to embody an affirmation when the day flows effortlessly. The real muscle of self-trust is built on the days when the affirmation feels like a contradiction.
In coaching, we recognize that success isn't defined by flawless execution or a day where everything goes according to plan. Success is a choice of perspective. It is the ability to look at a chaotic, frustrating Monday, reframe the friction, and recognize the quiet resilience it took to navigate it all anyway.
Sometimes, success looks like a ground-breaking milestone. And sometimes, it just looks like fitting a 2.10-meter ladder into a small car, surviving a 38°C run, and having the grace to laugh at life’s sarcasm along the way.
I invite you to reflect: When a day feels messy, frustrating, or unproductive, what lens are you using to measure your worth? What hidden success would you find today if you looked past the friction and honored how much you actually carried?