Identity-Level Recalibration

#50 When Wanting More Feels Selfish

Julie Holly

Is it selfish to want more? In this episode, we reframe guilt around growth, explore nervous system cues, and show how expansion — when anchored in identity — becomes an act of service, not ego.

You’ve poured into others. You’ve stayed loyal.
But now, you feel the pull to grow. And then comes the guilt.
Is it selfish to want more?

In this episode of Identity-Level Recalibration, we unpack one of the quietest tensions high-capacity professionals face — the fear that growth means abandonment. That wanting more might look like ego. That becoming someone new might betray who you’ve been.

Here’s what we explore:

  • Why ambition isn’t arrogance — it’s often a call to stewardship
  • How nervous system misalignment shows up when you shrink
  • What happens when your outer life expands faster than your circles
  • The real reason shrinking doesn’t bring peace — and what does
  • Why Estée Lauder’s story reminds us that vision isn’t selfish — it’s service

Julie Holly shares a pivotal moment from her own life — transitioning from public education into full-time real estate and podcasting — and the quiet discomfort that came when others didn’t understand her shift.

This isn’t about pushing harder. It’s about anchoring deeper.

Today’s Micro-Recalibration:
 Ask yourself:
 – Where am I hesitating out of fear of being seen as selfish?
 – Where am I shrinking to stay accepted?
 – What’s one area where I can lean into growth as stewardship?

If others look to you — as a manager, parent, partner, or friend — let your clarity become permission for them. Model what anchored expansion looks like.

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