What’s the point of likes when your heart feels empty?
How many times a month do you compare yourself to the people you see on social media?
You probably wonder how they’ve achieved so much success so quickly, while you feel stuck in the same cycle.
Social media is full of “success stories.” We’ve been sold on the idea that entrepreneurship is easy: open an Instagram account, take a photo, fill it with motivational quotes and expensive coffee, and you’ll be rich and famous.
The problem isn’t individual; it’s become systemic, collective, and global. Cultures applaud the empty hustle and convey that the process teaches us that if you’re not constantly producing or if you don’t project “success” every week, you’re perceived as “slacking.” This attitude has turned entrepreneurship into a game of appearances, where many are not only losing money, but also their peace of mind.
Brands with great potential are going bankrupt because they can’t sustain an unrealistic and superficial narrative. Luxurious offices and homes that people can’t afford, meaningless collaborations just for visibility, events designed more for the story than for the customer. And at the end of the day, no one asks about the profit margin, only how many likes the post received.
Social media sells us the business model of perfection in all areas of our lives: as mothers, entrepreneurs, friends, partners… and that’s completely unrealistic. They’ve set standards for us that make us doubt how we are perceived and how we perceive the world. Every time you open a network and see a perfect life, it unconsciously distorts your reality, and we forget that it’s just an edited version of each person.
Each person lets you see what they want you to see.
The Perfect Algorithm
The digital era doesn’t always reward perseverance, effort, or creativity. Instead, it rewards immediacy, beauty, and appearances. That’s why many women feel pressure to look and feel successful all the time, even if they don’t know their purpose.
Over the years, I’ve mentored many women through their business journeys, and if there’s one thing I’ve seen in ALL of them, it’s that they don’t dare to show their true face of their business. They’re terrified that someone might find out they had a bad month, or that a collaboration with an influencer was a failure. Why? Because if they show the real entrepreneurial process, they’ll be seen as failures.
Projecting success 24/7 is unsustainable, as if the only story worth telling is the one after, the one with the wins. And what about the one before, where do you leave that? And the process? It’s disheartening how they sell us the idea that if you’re at a different pace in your industry, you’re wrong because someone else will inevitably catch up with you.
We’re afraid to speak the truth, ask for help, say, “I’m out of ideas,” or simply “I need to take a break because I can’t do any more today.” And this is when we fall into the cycle of pretending to be something we’re not, even though deep down we’re disconnected from the business and ourselves.
Emotional Rollercoaster
Entrepreneurship itself is a roller coaster of emotions: stress, anxiety, joy, exhaustion, worry, and relief. Most of the time, it’s something that we experience in silence, as we idealize the concept of success without discussing the process, which generates constant comparison. Businesses that do not start from a genuine market need, but from the desire to be part of a business community, often replicate empty and meaningless formulas that promise ephemeral visibility, not sustainability.
This results in mental exhaustion, creative blocks, loss of motivation, and, most seriously, a disconnection from the purpose that initially led them to start their business in the first place.
Be a Digital Rebel
Returning to our purpose is the true act of rebellion. We must show how a brand ready to shine through with authenticity is being built; it’s having the power to tell the algorithm: I’m ready to transform and leave a mark.
It’s about reminding yourself that you are more than a passing trend.
– Being brave is showing the process, its highlights and shadows.
– Because when you do, you validate other women who are silently experiencing the same thing.
– That’s when, together, you begin to create a new business narrative: one where effort is celebrated, not just achievement.
One of the questions I ask my clients is: What do you want your legacy to be in the world?
When you truly connect with yourself, you realize that everything changes, your decisions become stronger and more assertive, your content is authentic and strategic, and your business rises like a phoenix.
Live from Your Purpose and Essence
Returning to that initial dream of your business idea is undoubtedly one of the bravest acts you will take. Showing your nuances, your pauses, how you rethink and diversify an established model, is a sign of authentic emotional leadership. True success isn’t luxury cars or trips, but rather the lessons of perseverance and discipline learned from the tough moments that no one sees.
Your business doesn’t need more likes; it needs purpose and direction.
Name: Elgeen Edmée Montilla Ortiz
Professional Title: Phd
Bio: Elgeen Edmée Montilla Is A Marketing Strategist, Neuromarketer, And Mentor With Over 15 Years Of Experience Helping Businesses Grow With Clarity And Purpose. Founder Of Edann Marketing & Communications Group, She Empowers Brands And People Through Strategy, Education, And Human Connection. Her Work Blends Neuroscience, Storytelling, And Practical Leadership.
