The Art of Fulfillment (and Why the “Science of Achievement” isn’t always enough)

Sounds True, Tonny Robbins, Sage Robbins, Michael Singer

A couple of weeks ago, I was listening to a powerful conversation between Tony Robbins , Sage Robbins and Michael Singer.

I had just finished the book Living Untethered and the course Living from a Place of Surrender by Michael Singer when a good friend of mine recommended this video (thanks, Rey Buckman !):

Tony Robbins and Michael A Singer | Breaking Patterns and Finding Inner Peace

Right at the beginning, Tony said something that stuck with me through the entire conversation:

“Mastering the Science of Achievement and the Art of Fulfillment.”

It hit me like a lightning bolt.

For many, many years of my professional life, I’ve lived by what he calls The Science of Achievement.

In my own words: How can I improve myself? How can I get better at what I do? How can I reach the next milestone, the next goal?

And yes, I’ve achieved a lot that way. But—wow—it’s also been painful.

We all know the saying: No pain, no gain. But when the pain is high and the gain feels small… something inside starts to question the system. Is this really the way?

Is having a vision, setting goals, staying disciplined, focused, and consistent the key to success and a meaningful life?

A few months ago, one of my coaching clients—an accomplished entrepreneur and self-described “grinding master”—was wrestling with something similar. After years of building and selling a company, and now co-leading a larger organization, he found himself wondering:

“Is discipline what’s going to get me to the next stage of my life and career? Or is it starting to hold me back?”

He knew discipline had helped him get to where he was—professionally and personally. Gym habits, healthy eating, consistent execution. But now, in his mid-thirties, the same tool started to feel… limiting.

In the end, he reframed discipline for himself: not as a rigid structure, but as a guiding rail. Something that offers focus, but not confinement.

What mattered most, though, wasn’t the answer—it was the reflection itself.

And that brought me back to the second part of Tony’s phrase: The Art of Fulfillment.

Yes—discipline is useful. Yes—goals can give us clarity. And yes—vision can be empowering.

But if we turn these tools into rigid dogmas (as I did for a very long time), we risk losing something essential: Flexibility. Presence. Joy.

So the real question becomes:

Do these things truly bring fulfillment? Do they create a nourishing ground for a balanced, meaningful life?

In my experience, the answer is no.

Most of us—at some point—have felt the emptiness that follows relentless striving. We pour hundreds of hours into a goal, only to see our initial excitement fade into drudgery. We push ourselves to the finish line, clinging to the hope that maybe then we’ll feel the joy, success, or recognition we’ve been chasing.

And sure—sometimes we do feel it. But it rarely lasts.

Think about your last big achievement—your promotion, your project launch, your closed funding round.

How long did the “high” really last before your mind jumped to the next thing?

A while back, I wrote a story about Being and Doing. To me, this is where fulfillment lives—in the Being side. In the deep work of personal growth.

In presence. In mindfulness. In simply being aware of this moment.

Ram Dass famously said, “Be Here Now.” That might sound abstract, but it’s incredibly practical.

What if the meaning, satisfaction, and fulfillment you’re seeking is already here?, What if the answers you’re chasing out there… are actually inside you?

I get it—that can sound too good to be true. It did to me, too. It felt distant, abstract, and unrelatable.

But here’s what I’ve learned:

The more I look in this direction, the more I notice when I’m getting in my own way. The more I experiment with trusting my inner wisdom, the easier it gets.

The easier it becomes to quiet the mind and really listen (eg, through meditation, conscious breathing, or just pausing for a few seconds).

The easier it becomes to take the next step—even if the mind is full of doubts and fears.

The easier it becomes to feel content with what I am, what I do, and what I have… in this very moment.

I’d love to hear your reflections.

Sending you hugs, and I’m grateful to walk this journey with you.

Jose