Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of What Exactly?
As we approach the Fourth of July, I’ve been reflecting on that iconic phrase from the Declaration of Independence:
“Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”
It’s a bold promise. And yet, somewhere along the way, many of us swapped that last word. We replaced happiness with money. Or achievement. Or approval.
And in doing so, we’ve quietly accepted a version of freedom that still feels like a cage.
When the Pursuit Becomes a Trap
I’ve worked in a male-dominated industry for a long time. I’ve spent years chasing respect, trying to earn a seat at tables where I wasn’t sure I was welcome. I hit impossible goals. I stayed late. I did what was asked—again and again—only to watch the bar move every time I reached it.
Some of that drive came from inside me—a belief in excellence, a hunger to grow. But some of it? It was survival. It was shame dressed up as ambition. It was trauma disguised as work ethic.
And here’s the thing: it didn’t make me free. It made me tired.
I now see how easy it is to confuse performance with purpose. To think we’re building a life of freedom, when really we’re just stuck in the churn—trying to prove our worth to systems that will never say, “That’s enough.”
What Real Freedom Looks Like
Freedom isn’t just financial independence or early retirement. It’s not a magic number in your portfolio. It’s not even the ability to take a vacation when you want to—though that’s nice.
Real freedom is the ability to live your life without shame as your driver.
It’s waking up and knowing you don’t have to earn your right to rest.
It’s building a life where money serves you, not the other way around.
It’s recognizing that hard work is a beautiful thing—but only when it flows from purpose, not pressure. From joy, not judgment.
Rewriting the Script
This Independence Day, maybe the most radical thing we can do is declare freedom from the inner voice that says, “You’ll never be good enough.”
The one that tells you to hustle harder, aim higher, and sacrifice more—even when you’re already running on empty.
The one that mistakes self-worth for net worth.
I’m learning to talk back to that voice. To say:
“I am not here to prove myself anymore.
I’m not playing a rigged game.
I am enough. I can grow. Both can be true.”
That’s the kind of freedom I want to pursue—and help others pursue too.
Signed by You
Your story doesn’t have to follow someone else’s template. Your success doesn’t have to match someone else’s resume. And your legacy should feel like it came from your own hand—not the expectations of a system that didn’t see your worth.
So this 4th of July, I invite you to take a breath. Take a beat. And ask yourself:
“What does freedom really mean to me? And what might I need to let go of… to make room for it?”
You may be surprised by the answer.