Whose Success Is It, Anyway?
Milton Eric Fletcher, PCC, NLPCA
Executive Leadership Coach at Great Minds Coaching
Is it yours, as defined by you? Or is it success as defined by others, by family, friends and associates, or by society at large?
For Martin Luther King, success was social, political and economic freedom for the U.S. citizens of African decent.
For Mother Theresa it was food for the citizens of India who were of the lowest members of the caste system in that country.
For victims of the holocaust it was first and foremost survival, followed by the opportunity to lives free from the tyranny of a ruthless dictator.
But what is it for you?
领英推荐
In my years as an Executive Leadership Coach, the question that many clients struggle to answer is "what exactly do you want in the situation we are discussing?" This questions runs parallel to the question of what does individual success look like overall. All too often I experience clients who want what they feel they should want, as opposed to what truly aligns with their values and their identity. Once of the accomplishments I celebrate the most in my work is when I feel I have supported a client to give him or herself permission to want what they want, for no other reason than it is what they truly want!
On this the last day of the first month in this new year, I challenge the readers of this article to be certain that your goals and objectives for this year are grounded in an appreciation of who you are, what you value, the legacy you want to leave, and the person you are working to become. Anything short of that can result in the attainment of material possessions and career accomplishments which could find you unfulfilled and experiencing a life without true meaning.
The acid test for me is, are you doing the work you would gladly do for free? If you are, then welcome to the ranks of those individuals who are truly living their purpose and for whom success is a direct byproduct of who they are and what they value most. I am blessed to be one of those people, and love the opportunity to support others to join our ranks!
Hello February! Its time to make January jealous!!!
Thank you for asking the question and making us think not just about defining success we see in others, but also daring us to see ourselves, to embrace the challenge of identifying our own dreams, to name and claim our value for success. It's there, sometimes hidden and buried in the ground of what makes us happy, just waiting for us to go through our fear, to "lay aside every weigh,"to awakened and to bring alive the happiness we think at time we don't deserve. If we don't deserve it, who does? Whose happiness is it, anyway? I am intrigued by making January. Just don't think I've heard or put that way before. ??????