The High Road Is the Only Road and Why Real Success Doesn’t Involve Stepping on Others
Avishai is an internationally known psychic and holistic health coach. She has helped many people heal from a variety of ailments, is the author of the book "I Made It Out", published in 2021, and the host of the Avi Unfiltered podcast.
In a world where competition is glorified and “getting ahead” sometimes comes at the expense of others, it can be tempting to believe that bending the truth, gossiping, or stepping on someone’s back is just a part of the hustle. But the truth, uncomfortable and freeing, is this.
You can be wildly successful without compromising your character
The people who climb over others to reach the top may gain recognition fast, but it rarely lasts. What’s built on dishonesty eventually crumbles. What’s built on integrity layer by intentional layer not only lasts, but it also brings peace, alignment, and respect along with it.
Let’s unpack how true success is rooted in ethics, and how holistic, spiritual, self-care, and lawful practices can keep you grounded as you rise.
1. The hidden cost of climbing over people
When you manipulate, lie, gossip, or slander to get ahead, it may feel like a shortcut. But shortcuts often come with hidden tolls:
Reputation erosion: Word spreads, and people remember how you made them feel.
Burned bridges: Trust, once broken, is hard to rebuild, and it travels fast in professional and personal circles.
Inner unrest: No amount of external validation can silence the guilt or anxiety that comes from knowing your success isn't clean.
People may fear you. They may even envy you. But they’ll never trust you.
And trust, in business and life, is the real currency.
2. The spiritual weight of slander
Spiritually speaking, words have energy. When you speak ill of others, especially out of envy or fear, you’re sending negativity into a space you also live in. It’s like poisoning your own garden while hoping someone else’s flowers wilt.
Spiritual traditions across cultures warn about the dangers of falsehood and slander:
In Buddhism, gossip is considered a form of “unskillful speech.”
In Christianity, it’s seen as a sin against the body of truth.
In Spirituality, if you disrupt someone’s harmony for no reason, you get bad karma.
When you misuse your voice, you don’t just harm others, you disconnect from yourself.
3. Self-care: The foundation of integrity
People often act out of alignment when they’re burnt out, insecure, or disconnected from their purpose. That’s where self-care comes in, not as a luxury, but as maintenance for your character.
Try these grounding practices:
Mental: Journal before making big decisions. Ask yourself: “Is this action coming from fear or alignment?” That one question can save you months, sometimes years, of unnecessary detours. When something is rooted in fear, it usually feels urgent, chaotic, or driven by ego. When it’s aligned, even if it’s challenging, it carries a sense of clarity, calm, and confidence.
Give yourself permission to sit with the decision, not just react to the moment. Clarity isn’t loud, it’s consistent. And journaling helps you hear it.
Emotional: Instead of projecting jealousy or insecurity, start unpacking it. I’ve always had a hard time understanding those emotions, not because I’m perfect, but because they’ve never really been a struggle for me. Still, I know how deeply they can affect how we treat others and how we show up for ourselves. That’s why support matters.
Through tools like ASTROtherapy (yes, I offer this), holistic health coaching, peer groups, or one-on-one sessions, you can start to shift from reaction to reflection. It's not about judgment,t it's about healing what's underneath, so you can move with clarity instead of comparison.
Physical: Prioritize rest. Exhaustion makes you reactive, and reaction often leads to regret. When you’re running on empty, your mind and body become fuel for reactivity. Exhaustion clouds your judgment, shortens your fuse, and shrinks your perspective. In those drained moments, even small irritations can trigger big reactions, and those reactions often lead to regret.
Think of rest as your reset button. It gives your brain the space to process emotions, your body the chance to heal, and your spirit the room to breathe. When you make decisions from a place of rest, whether it’s choosing your words, setting boundaries, or responding to conflict, you operate from strength rather than scarcity.
Remember: rest isn’t weakness. It’s a strategy. And investing in it now can save you from costly mistakes later.
Energetic: Cleanse your space (and your feed) of toxic influences. What you consume affects how you treat others.
When you care for yourself, you stop seeing others as threats. You stop needing to tear people down just to feel tall.
4. Lawful boundaries and legal consequences
Slander, gossip, and defamation don’t just hurt people emotionally; they can have legal consequences.
In professional environments, false accusations or spreading rumors can result in lawsuits, job loss, or reputational ruin. Online, defamatory comments can be traced, screenshotted, and used in court. What feels like venting in the moment may become evidence tomorrow.
Success requires self-control. If you find yourself tempted to defame someone, consider:
Speaking with a mediator or HR representative if it’s a workplace issue.
Seeking legal counsel if your own reputation has been damaged.
Setting boundaries and walking away rather than engaging in smear campaigns.
There is power in choosing protection over retaliation. There is strength in doing things the right way.
5. Build your legacy, not just your brand
Your resume might get you in the door, but your integrity is what keeps you in the room.
Long-term success is about more than money, followers, or clout. It’s about legacy, what people say about you when you’re not in the room, what you build with others, not at their expense.
The people who rise with grace, honesty, and care become magnetic. They attract opportunities, loyal collaborators, and a sense of inner fulfillment that those who lie and scheme will never know.
In conclusion: Rise, but rise right
In every industry, every relationship, and every season of life, you’ll have a choice: rise fast by stepping over others, or rise steady by building something solid and soul-aligned.
Choose the latter.
Because when success is earned ethically:
You sleep better.
You lead better.
And most importantly, you live better.
So let them talk. Let them scheme. Let them move dirty.
You move differently.
And in the end, that’s what sets you apart.
Visit my website for more info!
Read more from Avishai El
Avishai El, Psychic Medium & Certified Holistic Health Coach
Avishai is a leading expert in the field of neuroscience, holistic health, and trauma healing. Before she discovered the power of nutrition, her health declined tremendously. Due to several vaccinations and poor nutrition, she struggled with various ailments. She has had endometriosis, diabetes, cancer, liver damage, kidney failure, and ataxia. Avishai is no stranger to trauma as she is a survivor of sexual abuse and assault, domestic abuse, burns, a car accident, and a traumatic brain injury. She has online programs that help her clients overcome health problems and traumatic experiences. Her mission: Heal it all.
