When Wanting More Becomes a Prison: The Truth About Striving vs. Flow in Business

The Illusion of “When I Get There, Then I’ll Be Happy”

We’ve been sold a story.

Work hard. Follow the right strategy. Stay consistent. And eventually, success will come. Then—finally—you’ll feel at ease. You’ll trust yourself. You’ll have clarity, confidence, and the freedom to run your business exactly the way you want.

But what if that’s a lie?

What if the finish line never actually arrives?

Most entrepreneurs start their journey with a deep longing—for impact, for financial freedom, for a business that feels meaningful. But at some point, that longing mutates. Instead of being a pull toward expansion, it becomes a ruler we use to measure how far we still have to go.

We start believing:

• When I sign more clients, I’ll finally feel successful.
• When my business makes six figures, I’ll stop worrying about money.
• When more people recognize my work, I’ll feel like I belong in this industry.

And yet, every time we reach a goal, the next longing appears. The bar moves higher. The gap between where we are and where we think we should be never fully closes.

And so we chase.

More growth. More visibility. More validation. Because deep down, we believe that ease, peace, and self-trust live on the other side of achievement.

But what if they don’t?

Gate 30 in Human Design asks us to see through the illusion.

It’s not about getting what you want. It’s about learning to hold desire without suffering. To trust the unfolding instead of trying to control it. To stop gripping, striving, and proving—and instead, step into devotion and flow.

Because the real work of entrepreneurship isn’t about chasing an endpoint.

It’s about who you become in the process.

The Emotional Fire of Business: Why Passion Alone Isn’t Enough

We’ve all heard the advice:

• “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.”
• “If you’re passionate enough, success will follow.”
• “You just need to find your thing—the one thing you’re meant to do.”

It sounds inspiring. But in reality? It sets us up for failure.

Because what happens when passion fades? What if one day, the thing that once lit you up suddenly feels dull, frustrating, or even exhausting?

Traditional business advice has convinced us that passion should feel like an endless fire. That if we’re in alignment, we should always feel excited, inspired, and motivated. And when we don’t? We start questioning everything.

• “Maybe this isn’t my purpose after all.”
• “Maybe I’m not cut out for this.”
• “Maybe I need to start over, change my niche, or find something that excites me again.”

But Gate 30 tells a different story.

Passion is a Wave, Not a Constant Flame

Gate 30 carries the energy of longing—the hunger for more, the pull toward something greater. It fuels creativity, vision, and momentum. But longing alone isn’t enough, because passion isn’t permanent. It moves in cycles.

• When passion is high, everything feels possible—ideas flow, creativity sparks, and we take bold action.
• When passion fades, doubt creeps in—suddenly, the same business that once felt exhilarating now feels uncertain, frustrating, or overwhelming.

And here’s the truth: If we believe passion is the foundation of success, we will spend our entire journey chasing something that is designed to come and go.

So the real question isn’t "How do I keep the fire burning?"

The real question is: "What keeps me moving when the fire dims?"

Shifting from Striving to Flow: The Balance Between Devotion & Letting Go

At some point in business, we all hit a moment of emotional resistance. The passion that once fueled us dims. The excitement fades. The results don’t come as fast as we expected. And in that space, we ask ourselves:

Should I push harder? Or is this a sign to walk away?

This is where so many solopreneurs get stuck. We’re taught to hustle through resistance—to work harder, do more, force the outcome. But we’re also told to follow what feels good and walk away when the spark disappears.

So which is it?

The truth is, both can be traps.

• Forcing means pushing forward even when everything inside you is saying no. It means gripping so tightly to an expectation that you leave no room for natural growth, divine timing, or alignment.
• Abandoning means walking away the moment things feel difficult—mistaking temporary resistance for misalignment and assuming that if something is meant for you, it should always feel effortless.

But business isn’t about forcing, nor is it about constantly chasing excitement. It’s about devotion.

Devotion is the sweet spot between gripping and giving up. It’s the difference between chasing and trusting. Between forcing and allowing. Between attaching to a specific outcome and knowing that what’s meant for you will come.

The paradox of Gate 30 is this: The more you grip, the more resistance you create. But the moment you release control, the path begins to open.

Striving vs. Flow: The Shift That Changes Everything

Striving feels like:

• Obsessing over results, constantly checking for proof that what you’re doing is “working.”
• Forcing action from a place of fear—fear of failing, fear of wasting time, fear of being left behind.
• Feeling restless, impatient, or like you need to “fix” something that isn’t actually broken.
• Measuring your worth by your progress, making every launch, post, or offer feel like a test of your value.

Flow feels like:

• Taking action because it feels aligned, not because you need immediate validation.
• Trusting that slow seasons don’t mean failure—they mean refinement.
• Knowing that the energy you put out will return to you, even if it doesn’t happen in the way you expected.
• Creating, selling, and showing up from a place of ease—not urgency.

Flow isn’t passivity. It’s knowing when to move and when to step back.

It’s launching and trusting. It’s creating and detaching. It’s selling and surrendering.

Because success isn’t about forcing things into place—it’s about holding the energy of your business in a way that allows them to come.

The Final Shift: From Longing to Devotion

Gate 30 doesn’t ask you to stop wanting. It asks you to hold desire differently—to trust the unfolding instead of trying to control it.

So ask yourself:

• Where am I forcing instead of allowing?
• Where am I gripping too tightly to a specific result?
• What would change if I stopped trying to control the timing of my success?

Because the moment you stop striving, you create space for something even greater to arrive.

Andrea Ni?o de Guzman Holistic Business Coach + Transformation Catalyst

P.S. If this resonates with you, and you’re ready to build your business from a place of alignment, trust, and flow—not force and pressure—I invite you to join the Quantum Business Circle (QBC).

QBC is where we unravel the conditioning that keeps us stuck in old business paradigms and step into a new way of growing—a way that honors your unique energy, your purpose, and your natural rhythms.

Inside, we dive deep into Human Design, Gene Keys, and soul-aligned business strategies so you can expand your business in a way that actually feels good.

I'd love to have you in our community. You can try it for a week at not cost! Join QBC Find more about it HERE