# 275. 6 Lessons I Wish I Knew 5 Years Ago

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/on-your-terms-4083141/275-6-lessons-i-wish-i-knew-5-years-ago
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/on-your-terms-4083141/275-6-lessons-i-wish-i-knew-5-years-ago.md
Podcast: [On Your Terms®](https://stenobird.com/podcast/on-your-terms-4083141)
Published: 2026-02-09T09:30:00+00:00
Episode link: https://samvanderwielen.com
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/78414661-1d1c-4711-a265-bd2491034e3d.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/on-your-terms-4083141/episodes/275-6-lessons-i-wish-i-knew-5-years-ago
Duration seconds: 2333

## Resource

There’s this moment in business where you keep thinking, okay… when does it get easier? When does the stress chill out, the money feel steadier, and you finally get to enjoy what you’re building? Here’s the sneaky truth I wish someone had told me sooner: the “someday” version of your life isn’t where the joy starts. The rise is actually the fun part. In this episode, I’m sitting down with the version of myself from five years ago (hello, 2021 Sam) and sharing the six lessons I wish I could’ve handed her in a note. These aren’t fluffy business platitudes — they’re the real, lived-in truths that only come from building a seven-figure business, navigating massive personal loss, and realizing the mountaintop doesn’t feel the way everyone promises it will In this episode, you’ll hear… Why the rise is actually the best part (even when it feels messy) The hard truth about the “carrot” always moving in business How chasing someone else’s version of success can quietly wreck your joy Why you don’t need to be “one of them” to build a wildly successful business How to stay confident being a leader — especially when new platforms and trends pop up The simple mindset shift that helped me finally loosen my grip on control Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. RESOURCES: Get   Sam’s free weekly newsletter,  Sam’s Sidebar Get Sam's book " When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy" Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come out Click here to watch the free workshop so you can get legally protected right now! CONNECT: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Follow Sam on Instagram Follow Sam on YouTube Subscribe to Sam's Substack , Beyond Business Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Yo…

## Actions

- request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/on-your-terms-4083141/episodes/275-6-lessons-i-wish-i-knew-5-years-ago/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.
- read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/on-your-terms-4083141/275-6-lessons-i-wish-i-knew-5-years-ago.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.

A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed.

## Transcript

Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.