The Power of Perseverance and the Modern Win
- Feb 9
- 3 min read
By Kaylee McClellan, CFP®
Five years ago, I was a senior in college with a pretty clear idea of what I thought success would look like. I assumed it would come with milestones – titles, income benchmarks, and external validation. Not because I was shallow, but because those markers felt like proof of progress and security.
What I’ve learned since then is that success doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone. And more importantly, not everyone will support your version of it.
Oddly enough, my vision hasn’t changed all that much. Am I fully there yet? No. Am I partially there? Yes. And that’s enough for me to know it’s possible.
Here’s what success looks like to me now, exactly as I picture it:
7:00 a.m.: Wake up well-rested in an overly plush king-sized bed, oversized windows looking out over a condensation-filled field of rolling hills and rich color.
7:15 a.m.: Curled up in a leather chair with my favorite blanket, enjoying a cup of coffee with my husband. Quiet conversation. No rush.
8:00 a.m.: Physical movement, ideally a morning horseback ride through the same rolling hills I woke up to.
9:00 a.m.: The workday begins. I get dressed in an effortlessly casual-chic outfit that’s unmistakably “me,” think blue jeans, a button-up or sweater, leather loafers, slightly messy hair. I dive into work excited for the people I get to meet and confident doing work that genuinely energizes me.
12:00 p.m.: A simple lunch break. Nothing fancy.
1:00 p.m.: Back to work.
6:00 p.m.: A quick appetizer plate: cheese, crackers, and a good bottle of red.
6:30 p.m.: Friends arrive for an evening of conversation, games, and dinner (probably catered, because I don’t cook).
9:00 p.m.: One episode of New Girl with my husband. The best TV show ever. Don’t question me.
10:00 p.m.: Back to bed.
This day doesn’t happen by accident. It requires financial stability, intentional planning, and the freedom to choose how I spend my time. That’s the part many people miss when they hear a vision like this. Financial success isn’t separate from it, it’s what makes it possible.
The “loss” that became my biggest win was letting go of the idea that success had to look impressive to other people. For a while, I equated financial achievement with visible hustle and constant accumulation. Walking away from that mindset felt risky. But it gave me something far more valuable: clarity. Once I stopped chasing someone else’s scoreboard, I could focus on building wealth in a way that supported my life, not consumed it.
That belief directly shapes how I help other women win.
When women come to me asking for more – more money, more freedom, more confidence – I don’t dismiss the financial goals. We absolutely quantify them. We plan for them. We build toward them deliberately. But we start by defining whythe money matters in the first place.
Financial freedom isn’t about excess. It’s about choice. Choice in your schedule. Choice in your work. Choice in how present you get to be in your own life.
My vision of success has stayed steady because it’s honest. The house might get bigger. The wine might get better. The numbers on paper will change. But the purpose behind them won’t.
That’s the kind of success I believe in, and the kind I help other women build.
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