How do you define success?
Health, wealth, happiness, the dream job or career, how much stuff you have, being a good friend…?
Success is not a destination it is a state of being and a value. How you represent and experience success will be different to others and will change as you move through the different stages, shifting priorities and goals in your life or business.
I have had the privilege of having helped countless people achieve their goals and often of an EXTRAordinary nature and of course, I love to achieve my professional and personal goals and tick that bucket list.
Success boils down to something simpler for me –it’s more about knowing, on a daily basis when I’ve made a positive difference and helped to create a kinder, more compassionate and happier world and when I am able to transform those negative or unresourceful patterns in thinking, emotion and behaviour – no easy feat for most of us. It’s about being more consistently comfortable in my skin and it’s about perception.
Of course, if you are an athlete, sports person, racing car driver or other high octane and high achieving professional then success will most often be defined by winning – it’s in your blood and your raison d’être is to do your best performance and win and if not to beat your PB (personal best). Do you observe how successful you are at managing your thoughts, emotions and behaviour when you don’t win?
Nowadays it has become commonplace particularly in the first world and western countries to measure a person’s success by their wealth and the symbols of that wealth – cars, boats, property etc.
“Don’t measure your self-worth by your self-wealth”
“Don’t let the opinions of others influence your version of success”
Be mindful not to judge others as being successful or not according to your values or standards such as how much or what they have acquired in material terms or whether they reached the pinnacle of their career. You may not even know them well enough to know what their values, dreams and aspirations are and what their quantifying and qualifying benchmarks are that let them know they have achieved success in a specific area.
“One person’s final frontier is another persons first base” – unknown
If you measured your success by your ability to let go of your negative and unresourceful patterns in thinking, behaviour and emotion – criticism of self and others, comparisons, anger, resentment, fear, doubt, worry etc how successful would you be?
Imagine a world where kindness, generosity, thoughtfulness and compassion towards every person was the only measurement of success and a world where compassion and kindness were the currency exchanged to buy food, shelter and other essentials- now we’re talking success and is that a world you would like to live in?
I’d love to know how you define success – do share in the comments below…
Jacqueline says
Thanks for your words of wisdom. I’ll now refocus on my day and use some resourceful thinking patterns and show kindness and thoughtfulness to all those I share my day with today. Hopefully I’m a SUCCESSFUL person for today!! ?
Louise Crosby says
Jacqueline – A lot of it has to do with intention and your intention and action steps towards kindness and thoughtfulness towards yourself and others makes you a SUCCESSFUL person today and every day.
“Get your bliss on”
Louise xx
Mary-Anne Burgess says
Interesting concept and one which is the complete opposite to the conventional notion of success, by definition. I think a new but more acceptable version of success especially for women .
Louise Crosby says
Thanks for your contribution Mary-Anne. I am encouraged by the growing numbers of people who are starting to challenge and transcend old paradigms including that of success.
“Get your Bliss on”
Louise xx