The Great

Beyond reaching the top – because not everyone needs to sit on a throne.

I’ve just started watching The Great (about Catherine the Great) on Netflix. It’s a reminder of the range of possibilities available today, not just for women but for all of us, regardless of our backgrounds. Yes, the series is set in 1700s Russia, but life was grim for most, barring the rich, back then.

So, are we truly making the most of today’s opportunities?

Unfortunately, few of us are. Sometimes, this is for genuine reasons, like a lack of time due to other important and meaningful commitments (for example, family). Other times, the wealth of choice can feel paralysing. What to do with your life when you could do or be anything? Another factor is that our mentalities haven’t kept pace with developments in the working world and in life in general.

Most of my former clients are Midlifers (Generation X). We grew up with the “work your way up” and “work hard” mindset passed on from our parents’ generation. There’s nothing wrong with this, but it’s not all there is.

In my HR work, I often saw this play out. Many employees believed they had only “made it” if they became managers, overseeing people and climbing the hierarchy. Yet some of the most talented individuals were experts in their fields – happier and more effective doing the work itself rather than supervising others. For them, the traditional climb to the top felt more like a burden than an achievement, yet it was also the only path to financial and broader recognition.

Forward‑thinking companies recognise the need for change. They acknowledge the benefits of offering employees horizontal career growth. They also remunerate expanded roles, not just the traditional climb to the top. Established employees instead get to take on projects, mentor, or deepen expertise. In many companies, flatter structures have proven to be stronger and more resilient.

However, what can you do if this isn’t the case at your place of work, or possibly even the country you live in? Your company might not be ready to change the entire corporate structure right now, but if you propose expanding your role in a way that benefits your employer, they may accept it. I’ve seen this in many cases from an internal HR perspective and as an outcome for many of my coaching clients. In cases where this didn’t work out as hoped, some individuals took the leap and pieced their careers together in a portfolio way, cutting their hours at their main job while exploring other interests. Others went all‑in, building freelance careers around what they truly wanted to do.

This is making the most of options in a way that suits us. “Success” is how we each define it.

Millennials often think this way naturally, but for Gen Xers it requires a bigger shift. When achieved, it can be a game-changer. Many clients discovered this despite it not being at the heart of their goal when they started their coaching process.

Maybe it’s something for others to consider. Here are some questions worth pausing on:

• What does success mean to you?

• Is it your definition, or has it been passed on?

• What makes you happy?

• What haven’t you tried but would like to – even (or especially) for no other reason than pure enjoyment or interest?

• What do you think you’re too old for now but wish you’d tried 10 years ago? Are you really too old?

The world we live in is far from perfect, and not all developments have eased our daily lives (I personally could do without being contactable via multiple forms of media and regularly want to launch various pieces of IT equipment out of the window); however, if we’re selective and keep our own values, needs and desires in mind, there are so many ways to make our lives fit us, rather than trying to fit ourselves to outdated structures and expectations.

Unlike Catherine the Great, we no longer need to marry a silly-arse, stage a coup or assassinate our spouses to profit from today’s opportunities. And success doesn’t mean sitting on a throne.

So, what are you waiting for? Step into your own version of greatness.