How Do You Define Success?

The better you can answer this question, the more likely you are to find that success. While we all want to be successful, the word means different things to different people. If you haven’t clearly defined success for yourself, how can you aim at your target? This is a great question to reflect on from time to time to ensure that you’re staying on track. Here are some areas worth considering:

Big Picture

We often think about this question in a professional context. But when that eclipses what success means to us in a more big-picture way, it can set us up for difficulties. You want to make sure that your definition of success aligns in multiple areas of your life. How do you want your work and personal life to intersect? How much would you like to be earning to support the lifestyle you want to have? How important is having time off and flexibility? Widening the lens here can help you then define professional success in a way that aligns with the rest of your life.

Specific Goals

If we are focusing in on the professional element of success, what are the specific goals you’ll need to achieve to reach it? What do you need to accomplish this week, this month, and even this year to arrive at the success you desire. When we don’t have clear goals, it can feel like running on a treadmill with success always a few feet ahead of us. It’s important to set goals for yourself to encourage and track your progress.

Clear Vision

Spending a bit of time visualizing your success can help you get in the mindset you need to achieve it. When you imagine the success you’re working toward, what does it feel like? What skills do you have in this vision of yourself? What have you overcome? Getting this vivid mental image in your mind can help inspire the motivation and attitude needed to excel.

Flexibility

Defining success isn’t a one-time deal. We need to be open to that definition changing. And we also need to be open to our path to getting there taking some unexpected twists and turns. For all the ambition and planning, it’s important we meet that with some flexibility. Check in every now and then to see if your definition of success, both professionally and in the bigger-picture sense, still resonates with you; and if it doesn’t, start adjusting until you’re able to redefine.

What does success mean to you? Do you have a clear definition for yourself? Is it something that’s changed over time? I’d love to hear what you think!