At the mention of the word “success” we all have something that comes to mind. Some believe it is about the amount of money earned, while others believe it is about the education level one achieves. You may define success as the ability to raise children with good manners who contribute to society, or even having a successful marriage. While it doesn’t matter how you define success, it does matter why you define success the way you do. Each of us has a different definition, and our definition reveals a few very important characteristics about each of us. I want to discuss three areas you can learn more about yourself by how you define success.
Purpose
The first area you can learn more about is your purpose in life. Many people spend years searching for their purpose in life when it can oftentimes be found by becoming more self aware. If you have read books on the subject, attended conferences, changed jobs, or anything else in search of meaning, try looking inside of you. How do you define success?
Imagine for a second that you accomplished everything you desired. Now, think about the one thing that, if you failed, would cause all other accomplishments to seem obsolete. You have found your primary purpose. It may be one thing or it may be a few key areas of your life, but this exercise will help you find your compass. In my blog post, 3 Secrets to Doubling Your Income, I discussed the 80/20 rule. This rule states that you can accomplish 80% of your objectives by focusing on your top 20% of activities. I mention it here because it’s the same in regard to defining success. While there are multiple ways you can define success, your true purpose can always be found in the top 20% of those accomplishments. Determine what those are and begin today to shift your focus to align with your true priorities.
“Define success on your own terms, achieve it by your own rules, and build a life you’re proud to live.”
Anne Sweeney
Passion
Similar to understanding your purpose, you can also begin to discover your passion by how you define success. It is important to know where you should direct your passions in life. There are so many options in life for directing your time and energy, but it is important to use your definition of success to focus. You should spend the majority of your time and energy on the things in your top 20%.
While your purpose will show you your compass and give you overall direction, your passions will help you get more granular. If you believe your primary purpose is to be a teacher, you would need to understand your passion to know how to direct that purpose. You may be passionate about math and people really learn from you when you are teaching it. While you can teach history or English, you’re not very passionate so you don’t enjoy it as much and people don’t learn as efficiently. I hope this simple example helps explain the importance of understanding both purpose and passion. How you define success will give you the answers to both.
“If you feel like there’s something out there that you’re supposed to be doing, if you have a passion for it, then stop wishing and just do it.”
Wanda Sykes
Motive
The final point I want to share about defining success is in regard to your motive. Regardless of how you define success, you must examine your motive. Understanding motive can also serve as fuel to keep you moving toward your goal of success. It’s important to understand that the motive can be positive or negative in nature, but it can still serve as fuel to keep you going. One of the most common motives is trying to prove oneself. It is amazing the number of individuals who are driven by the desire to prove that they are capable of achievement in a certain area of life.
While this isn’t a healthy motive, it is still a very real part of life. One example that comes to mind is the greatest basketball player who ever lived, Michael Jordan. He played the game of basketball with the mindset of proving others wrong every day. When he was inducted into the basketball Hall of Fame, his speech surprised many people. Well after retirement, having become an NBA owner, he was still talking about proving others wrong. He was still using his doubters as fuel to drive him to succeed. While I don’t encourage everyone to live with a need to prove themselves to others, you should definitely find your own motive. Simply understanding how you define success and why will answer this question.
“When I lose the sense of motivation and the sense to prove something as a basketball player, it’s time for me to move away from the game.”
Michael Jordan
No Regrets
Self awareness is defined as conscious knowledge of one’s own character, feelings, motives, and desires. One of the most important accomplishments you can have is to know and understand yourself. It is the key to all other achievement and maximizing your potential success in life. What comes to mind when you hear the word “success”? Determine how your definition of success aligns to your purpose, passion, and motive. If you still have no internal conflicts, begin immediately to give your all to becoming a successful person, according to your own definition. You will have no regrets at the end of your life.
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