7 Guiding Principles That Helped Me Build a Fulfilling and Successful Life

There’s no magic button to make everything better.

Ellen Nguyen
4 min readMay 15, 2024

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Photo by Fuu J on Unsplash

I moved to the UK at 17 and faced numerous challenges, including a long list of emotional issues that held me back.

Fast forward to today, I’ve built fulfilling careers, bought a home with my husband, and enjoyed a comfortable life in London with dual citizenship.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

1. Embrace the Hard Work

There’s no magic button to make everything better. No amount of delusion or “lucky girl syndrome” alone can get you what you want. The real difference comes from the often painful, ugly, and boring work you do silently and privately to fight your inner battles and build your foundations. True transformation requires dedication and resilience. It involves showing up every day, even when it’s difficult, and making incremental progress towards your goals.

The effort you put in behind the scenes often goes unnoticed by others, but it is the most crucial aspect of achieving lasting success. This includes developing discipline, setting clear goals, and continually working on self-improvement. Whether it’s staying up late to study, seeking therapy to address emotional issues, or learning new…

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Ellen Nguyen

Freelance writer & digital creator | London based | Psychology BSc. Editor of LovefulMind.com, empowering women.