Last week’s topic has caused many questions and conversations about success.
“What do you mean by being successful?”
“What if I’m not successful at all?”
“What is considered as success?”
“Can success mean relationships?”
“I only have success in love.”
“I have never been successful in anything.”
“Do you mean academic or professional success?”
In all of the above mentioned examples, success is interpreted very narrowly. The underlying assumption behind all of them is that success is somehow exclusive and limited.
When it, in fact, is not.
Success can hardly be described in one sentence. There is no one explanation of what success is. It comprises of many things and when asked what it means, the answer depends on, and varies by, who is answering.
Here is a list of how my clients have been defining success over the years. This is not to give you a correct answer on what success really means, but rather to give you an example of how differently we view the meaning of it. And none is wrong.
- Success is being able to set and keep your boundaries, even in difficult situations
- Success is not giving up on what’s important to you and living by your values
- Success is being free to love unconditionally
- Success is realizing your happiness is not dependent on anyone outside you
- Success is not being dependent on your children for your own happiness
- Success is taking a 100% responsibility of your own life
- Success is learning to choose your battles
- Success is feeling the fear and doing it anyway
- Success is understanding that you get what you give
- Success is that I always do my best and realizing that it is enough
- Success is my relationship with myself – when I take care of that, all other relationships in my life are much better
- Success is to have a loving family and home
- Success is believing in myself and in the higher power
- Success is feeling safe and being able to act from that place of safety
- Success is taking care of myself, of my own needs and wants, and then being able to help others
- Success is keeping my promises to myself and to others, and to only promise what I can keep
- Success is feeling at home with oneself
- Success is waking up full of energy and eager about the day ahead
- Success is remembering that we live in an abundant universe, full of opportunities for all of us and operating from that abundant mindset at all times
- Success is seeing through the goals you’ve set for yourself, even when you’re facing fears, obstacles and difficulties
- Success is keeping on going, one step at a time, no matter the circumstances
- Success is understanding how you create your life with your thoughts, words and actions
Cambridge dictionary, on the other hand, defines success as follows:
Success /səkˈses/
noun
- the achieving of the results wanted or hopes for
- something that achieves positive results
Don’t fall into the trap of defining success in your life only by the first ‘official’ definition. If you have, it’s time to consider the second definition as well.
More specifically, who is the one achieving positive results in your life?
The positive results do not limit to any one specific area of life, but include all areas of life. They don’t limit to a specific time in your life either, but include all times of your life. And they certainly do not limit to financial results, but include physical, emotional, mental and spiritual ones, too.
That’s why I urge you to consider what success means in your own unique life. What success is for you? Regardless of what other people say it is.
Whatever your definition is, just remember that you are the key to your success. And yes, you are successful. As a matter of fact, you are success.
Much love,
Paula
xx