Why Your Definition of Success Matters

When Ellory asked me if I’d write a guest post for him, I felt honored. I've seen Ellory’s work, and he’s been taking blogging very seriously lately. I think his blog is great and has much potential. I’m glad to be part of his venture.

I knew immediately what I wanted to write. I wanted write a post for Ellory’s “What if Wednesdays” series. So I asked Ellory for some input. He said, “What if you were already successful.” I’m not exactly sure what he meant, but if you've read my blog, or some of my guest posts on sites like pick the brain, or the change blog, you know I believe in success. But I don’t believe in it quite as some might expect.

greeblie / Foter / CC BY

I’ve been known to question our modern culture’s definition of success. That definition goes something like this: Success is finding the career of your dreams or starting your own business, making a six-digit annual salary, having perfect relationships, expensive real estate, a luxury car, and all the toys your heart desires.

Wrong!

Defining success in that way is only a recipe for failure.

Each of us would probably define success differently. I can’t define it for you, and I probably won’t cover every point you might include in your definition of success, but there are four points I’d like to cover:

Success is doing your best and never giving up. Success is not the ends, it’s the means. It includes working on your dreams, your visions, your book, your blog, or whatever it is you’re passionate about on a regular basis. As long as you’re putting your best effort into your work, you are success.

Success is using your own experiences to help others. Success is not all about you. It is about using your own knowledge, wisdom, understanding, and experience to help others. If you’re giving your audience something they can use, you are success.

Success is being thankful. It is not taking all the credit for yourself. It includes acknowledging others who have helped you to reach new levels. If you take the time to thank people both personally and publicly, you are success.

Success is now. It is not some future goal you’re always reaching for. Success is the journey. It’s accepting both the peaks and the valleys of the ride. That’s not to say goals are not important. They are. But if you get up every day and look at the day as a positive moment in a long journey, you are success.

So why does your definition of success matter?

It’s simple. If you define success as many people do: a big business, money, cars, and real estate, you might just be setting yourself up for disappointment. But if you define success as the journey, rather than the destination, you’ll be much more likely to find the strength and confidence for that journey. And remember:

You are success!

Now it’s your turn.

Question: How do you define success?