I let my Sims fail, and many will not rise to the top of their careers or achieve their lifetime aspiration – just like in the real world. The Hopes & Fears Mod and Personality Mod are NECESSARY for this play style. They must “want” to do these things by getting a whim for them or doing them autonomously. This means I don’t force my Sims to do things like work on their careers, build skills, or pursue relationships.