Defining Success. What does it mean, and why does it matter?
Success can be defined in many ways, but most importantly it's not up to me to pick a definition of success for you and your life, it's up to you to define what success means for your life. It may be obvious that I cannot determine what success means for you, but it's naive to assume our career and life choices are purely independent.
Activation Activity: Get started writing your success definition with this supplementary workbook.
There are so many influences out there. Far too frequently, we allow external influences and internal false beliefs to dictate our perception of success. For example: We let a stranger on social media tell us what success is or we take on the definition or measuring stick of a friend or loved one we look up to or admire?
As you step into this process of defining success for yourself, I want to encourage you to remember that it's your life, it's your opportunity and your responsibility to decide what it looks like, what success means for you, your career, your life.
In addition to reflecting on this general success question, it can be helpful to explore what your definition of success is in the context of being holistically “well”. What do I mean? We are not one-dimensional beings. Long-term success is NOT just about achieving in one area of our lives, but rather, it encompasses all aspects of our existence. The Wellness Wheel is a holistic tool designed by experts to help us explore optimal well-being that considers the social, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, physical, environmental, financial, and occupational domains of ourselves. Take a look at each dimension of your life and what success means to you.
This process of defining success might take some time, but I encourage you not to ignore this step.
Measurable Impact of Defining Success
Defining success is a fundamental step towards achieving it. Think of your definition as a starting point on your journey to flourishing.
Defining Success allows us to:
Set clear goals and priorities,
Focus our time and energy on the things that matter most,
Avoid getting sidetracked by distractions and/or other people's expectations.
Feel more fulfilled and satisfied with life and work, and
Take steps to achieve your goals and live a life that aligns with your values and passions.
Then what?
Once you can define success and know clearly what it looks like it’s important to next ask yourself,
"What do I need to achieve the success I desire? and
"What obstacles exist between me and my goal(s)?"
As you think about what you need and what obstacles you face on your journey, I want to remind you that you are not alone. We exist as a part of communities. How can you lean on your community to navigate and overcome obstacles that exist between you and your goal/success?
Activation Activity: Get started writing your success definition with this supplementary workbook.
GROW exists because I care about you and your potential. GROW is just one example of a community support in your life. Think about how you can use the GROW Community to help you achieve your success goals and how you can support others on the same journey.
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