{"id":54170,"date":"2026-08-22T17:06:30","date_gmt":"2026-08-22T15:06:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.turner.nl\/uncategorized\/the-curse-of-success\/"},"modified":"2026-08-22T17:06:34","modified_gmt":"2026-08-22T15:06:34","slug":"the-curse-of-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.turner.nl\/en\/blog-en\/the-curse-of-success\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cThe Curse of Success\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Column by Peter de Bruin<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\u201cThe Curse of Success\u201d<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In his latest column, Peter de Bruin wishes us the best of luck for 2025\u2014but not too much :-)<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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More than five years later, he called again. BU director, 52. Now he sounded downcast, shaken. Not quite as \u201ceverything\u2019s fine\u201d as the first time we spoke. Back then, he had it all: a meteoric career, a happy marriage, he was in great shape, had friends, and healthy kids. The world was at his feet. \u201cI can\u2019t help it,\u201d he said, \u201ceverything I touch turns to gold.\u201d Yet he wasn\u2019t arrogant or solely focused on status or materialistic appearances. He had his people\u2019s best interests at heart, he said. And that sounded credible, although I couldn\u2019t verify whether that\u2019s how it came across to them. <\/p>

Why was he sitting across from me? Well, neither of us really knew. During a performance review, his boss had said that everything was going great, but that despite his flawless presentations, he \u201cdoesn\u2019t connect with the audience.\u201d \u201cMaybe you could use some practice,\u201d he\u2019d said. <\/p>

To make a long story short, no, our conversations didn’t amount to much back then. His conclusion: I don’t need a coach. At least not right now. <\/p>

He was proven right about that last point. Five years later, we resumed our conversations. Or rather, we started over. Why? The trees didn\u2019t turn out to grow to the sky, loyalty suddenly wasn\u2019t eternal, his back was acting up, and at the company, another crown prince became king. In every way, our interaction was different this time. Still just as intelligent and erudite as ever, but with a touch of curiosity. At first, it stemmed from doubt (\u201cwhat did I miss?\u201d) and judgment (\u201chow could I have been so stupid?\u201d\u201d). Then came the searching (\u201cwhat else is there,\u201d \u201cwhat pattern am I stuck in,\u201d and \u201cwhy did I do what I did and think what I thought\u201d). As with so many, the burden of an unresolved past was quite heavy. All the more respect for the achievement he managed, through sheer willpower, all those years. <\/p>

There\u2019s work to be done. Nothing ever goes completely smoothly. Everyone has wounds or old pains. We find a way to deal with them\u2014to navigate them successfully. That can take you a long way. But sometimes it also blocks something, such as, in this example, the ability to connect. Success is motivating. Keep it up! It obscures the need for reflection and masks the need for introspection. After all, a pattern tends to be just that\u2014a pattern. Blinders. <\/p>

Many people are unlucky enough to be successful. As a result, they\u2019ve forgotten the art of trial and error. Having the wind at your back for too long limits your ability to see that the landscape around you is changing. Success\u2014and other \u201cnarcotics\u201d such as wealth, alcohol, drugs, etc.\u2014hinder timely introspection. <\/p>

He\u2019s smiling again now. The blow hit him hard, but he\u2019s bounced back. It took hard work\u2014it certainly wasn\u2019t for lack of willpower :-). A great guy. Back on track. But in a different way. His antennae are up. His intuition is spot on. People are eager to work for him. Not everything he touches turns to gold, but his team is worth its weight in gold. <\/p>

Success stifles growth. Still, I wish you a successful 2025!! <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Meet the Author<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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