Today, I would love to talk about ‘Success’ and what it means to us all.
You see the word success is typically related to money, cars, athletes and those that have “made it”. However, success comes in many different forms and is different for each individual person. The problem is that we often don’t really take the time to understand what our own individual meaning of success is.
For example, we have financial, family, property, health, athleticism and many more area where we can succeed but these could mean nothing to your inner self unless they are in your definition of success.
An excellent way to understand this point is with an example of 2 different people.
- Person 1: Imagine that there is a corporate banker who lives in New York. For them, the definition of success might be a funky small apartment, a Porsche, many cool bars, restaurants and clubs to visit, lots of money in stocks, a beautiful set of golf clubs or fancy shoes and whatever else accompanies the corporate lifestyle.
- Person 2: A farmer that lives in the country and spends his/her days working the land. Their definition of success is owning a large property with lots of space for their kids to run around so they can develop their imaginations. To maintain enough animals to provide for their family but also the ability to enjoy the great outdoors and spend time in nature.
In both of these examples, neither one of them is wrong. They are succeeding in life as they are doing precisely what it is that makes them happy, and they have taken the time to define for them what is their definition of success. You see if we swapped places with person 1 and 2 they would probably hate their new surrounding as they are not congruent to their personal values.
Often as a society, we want what others have got, but it is not really a value of ours.
People often strive for their entire life for more and more, but when they reach each level of achievement, they feel like they have never made it because there is always a bigger fish that has succeeded more in their eyes. When we live our life like this, then we never appreciate the beautiful moments that we have and it’s hard to find gratitude.
I have taken the time in my life to define what is my definition of success and so for me “success is to be happy with all things good and bad in my life as I know I have created all of them. My success is my happiness.”
Remember that success is not a place that you can arrive at, it is a journey that needs to be enjoyed along the way in every moment. Happiness is where you find success, success is not where you find happiness.
I look forward to hearing your definitions of success in the coming weeks. Until next time!