Success

During the early part of 2020, I was preparing a training room for the day. The learners had grabbed a cup of coffee and were starting to take their seats. One person, in particular, was seated long before the rest, which intrigued me. Each course has an element of chaos as people arrive with, registration forms to be completed, and books and name tags handed out. Eventually, when everyone was seated and quiet, I ran through the customary "housekeeping".  

Over to my right, there was a student who had settled down and was organised. The name on his name card was boldly and neatly written. Why was Joe so organised amidst the initial scurrying? As I approached Joe, a sense of amazement, anticipation, and excitement welled up in me. For the first time in the past 28 years, having experienced hundreds of training sessions and thousands of students, I had never seen anything like it.

You will see what I saw in the image above. 

This picture evoked in me the concept of success. Joe defined success at the start of the day as a neat desk. So neat that it would pass the most rigorous early morning inspection that any elite military academy might demand. The pens were neatly arranged, books square with the table, phone off to the right and hands clasped, and an air of expectation surrounded Joe. It was nothing like mine! I defined success at this stage as getting everyone organised so that we could start at 8:00 am.

How do you define success? 

Is it related to neatness, timing, finance, where you stay, the car you drive, personal achievements, or a job title?  According to the Oxford Dictionary "success is the accomplishment of an aim or purpose". If that is the case is success the same for me as for you? The simple answer is no! 

Our schooling and education have standardised success into a point system measured on various scales. The most obvious one being a score out of 100 or a percentage. Unfortunately, this seems to have penetrated every measurement of success in society. 

Do you know someone who is successful? 

What is the measurement of their success? Is it the same as for you? Let us revisit the definition of success. "The accomplishment of an aim or purpose."  Surely if you achieve what you set out to do, are you not successful?

Do you feel a sense of achievement when you have completed a planned task? In most cases, it is probably something small. Success is very subjective and not as universal as we think. Group success also needs to be defined. For now, I am focusing on personal success.

Here are a few steps to revise your perceptions of success. 

1. You define your own success

Ensure that you know what you want to achieve. Be clear on the specific measurements.

2. Don't compare your success with someone else

There will always be someone richer or poorer, has a better job title or drives a better car than you. Remember that success is always subjective unless you are writing a test or exam.

3. Set goals

All big projects start with small steps. An idea simply stays a concept unless you do something with it! Set small manageable and achievable goals. Before you know it you will be successful.

4. Celebrate your success

At each milestone reward yourself and re-evaluate your progress. 

Will your desk, your finances, expectations, and goals look the same as mine? I doubt it. Use these guidelines as we start 2021. Set your own standard for success and you will have a great year with plenty of celebrating to do at the end.