You can be successful and still feel like you're just getting started.
A friend told me recently, “You’re established.”
I laughed. Then paused. Then wanted to argue.
Because it didn’t feel true.
If you’ve ever reached a milestone and still felt behind, like your confidence didn’t quite catch up to your calendar, this is for you.
It’s been a season of back-to-back projects, chasing some overdue invoices, and a calendar full of meaningful meetings. The work matters: podcasts, series, consulting, leadership. But it’s also relentless.
Sometimes it feels like I’m building a house of cards and someone keeps turning on the overhead fan.
And that someone, if I’m honest, is me.
Wait, Am I Turning On The Fan?
My friend wasn’t wrong. On paper, things look solid: new episodes of audio description recorded for some recognizable series, a few incredible movies; new partnerships forming, opportunities expanding.
By most measures, I should feel settled. But inside, I’m still chasing the version of me who can keep up with all of it.
Creative work, especially in accessibility and inclusion, never quite lets you pause. There’s always more to fix, another story to tell right. “Established” starts to sound like a word for someone else.
Feeling Unestablished Is Growth
Maybe I’m not flawed, and this is part of the flourishing.
That unsettled energy we call “imposter syndrome” can actually be a sign I’m paying attention: still learning, still stretching.
I’ve started to try this: before bed, name three moments from your day that would surprise my five-years-ago self.
Maybe it’s a collaboration I once dreamed of.
Maybe it’s how calmly I handled a situation that used to rattle every bone in my being, and now is a shrug with a “huh, how about that.”
That small practice rewires a brain to track progress through gratitude instead of comparison.
It turns “I’m not enough yet” into “look how far I’ve come.”
And sometimes I don’t believe it yet, and that’s okay. Recognition often moves slower than achievement.
When I Zoom Out, I See The Evidence In Those Moments Of Trust.
When a blind audience member says, “I finally felt seen.”
When a performer I coach finds their unique take in a description that lands.
When I choose calm clarity over frantic perfection.
That’s proof.
We may not always feel established, but we’re constantly establishing something for ourselves and for others.
I’m looking to embrace this idea: every time we own our growth, we make it easier for someone else in our field to do the same.
What Does It Even Mean?
I think I mistakenly thought that “established” means complete, finished, solid.
But these things are alive. They grow roots. They bend. They adapt.
So maybe a new question I can ask is “Am I growing in a way that stays true?”
That shift invites both humility and confidence.
Humility to keep learning.
Confidence to appreciate how far you’ve already come.
And when the house of cards feels shaky, maybe it’s just an invitation to rebuild with intention.
You Don't Have To Feel Established To Be It.
You just have to keep showing up with gratitude for the foundation you’ve built, and curiosity for what’s still taking shape.
Next Time Someone Calls you "Established"...
So the next time someone calls you “established,” don’t rush to correct them.
Pause. Let it land.
Notice what part of you still resists it, and what part quietly agrees.
Maybe feeling unfinished just means your story’s still unfolding, and that’s a beautiful thing.
Now What?
If you’re building something that doesn’t have a map yet, you’ll find kinship in these conversations.
The ADNA Presents Podcast – stories from the people shaping accessible storytelling, one voice at a time.
If you’re interested in performing audio description, I made something for you: The AD Playback Lounge
And check out my book, if this post resonates with you, you might relate, even if you’ve never even turned on audio description.