When I first qualified, I’ll be honest — I was Flash Harry.
Cars. Watches. Designer labels. VIP Nights out.
Everything was fast, loud, and external.
At that stage of life, success looked like shine.
If people could see it, it meant I was doing well.
But here’s what time, experience — and perhaps a few life bruises — taught me:
There’s a difference between being impressive and being fulfilled.
Somewhere along the line, Flash Harry started to fade…
and Harry Potter took over.
Not in the literal sense (I haven’t swapped syringes for wands),
but because these days, my version of “magic” is quieter —
it’s found in focus, in discipline, in purpose.
Now, I get my dopamine from:
The early gym sessions where I push past comfort.
Books that open new worlds in my mind, not new holes in my wallet.
Travel that expands perspective, not ego.
Family moments that remind me why I’m doing all this in the first place.
Leisure time that fuels creativity instead of guilt.
The younger me thought happiness came from more.
The older me realises it often comes from less — but deeper.
It’s not that ambition disappears; it just refines.
I still want to grow, achieve, build, and create.
But I no longer want to do it at the expense of peace, purpose, or people.
So yes — from Flash Harry to Harry Potter.
One chased status symbols.
The other chases self-mastery.
And I’ve learned that the real magic isn’t in what you own —
it’s in what you learn, feel, and give.
