Do you have a definition of success?
The definition that is constantly reinforced in our culture is based on money and status. And while that can certainly be a useful in measuring one potential aspect of success, it’s a recipe for trouble when it stops being one of the measurements and becomes THE measurement.
Why is that a recipe for trouble? Because we don’t exist in a work silo, separate from the rest of our lives. Each of us lives a life that is a holistic, interconnected system.
Your whole life involves making decisions that optimize that system. You can’t have it all, so you have to choose where to spend your time, energy and effort, and what kinds of compromises you’re willing to make. Without a holistic definition of success, you have no way of effectively evaluating those choices. Everything automatically plays second fiddle to money and status.
Here are some ideas to help you explore your own holistic definition of success.
What is my current definition of success?
If you’re like most people, you probably have an autopilot version. Be honest about the definition you’ve been using to make your decisions.
Follow that up with a multi-dimensional look at what success means to you. Explore each of these categories, and add your own categories if any occur to you that aren’t listed here.
Career
What does success in your career look like? Think about the different aspects, for example:
- How energized you feel by it
- Remuneration
- The difference you make
Financial
Take a look at your financial picture. Start with a look at what you really need to be comfortable (for many people this is actually less than what they think they want). This isn’t a goal-setting exercise, but a way to more consciously establish the range that works for you. Think of it as exploring, “What is the minimum I could earn and still feel successful? How much do I need to save, by when?”
You might also add the question “why?” to each of those. Try to get a deep understanding of what’s behind your financial goals.
Relationships
What does success in the relationship sphere look like? There are multiple kinds of relationships you can take into account, such as:
- Husband / Wife / Partner
- Children
- Friends
- Community
- Co-workers / Colleagues
Health and well-being
Often, we’re aware of this category only when something is out of whack. But when you think of how much is dependent on things being in sync here – physically, mentally, and emotionally – it makes sense to be conscious of what we want it to look like.
Service / Making a difference
We humans seem to be wired to want to make a difference. What would success look like there? Think about it in different areas, and don’t limit yourself to the stereotypical ways of making a difference (though they can certainly come into the picture). What would making a difference look like in:
- Your career.
- Your relationships.
- Volunteering.
- Your everyday interactions with people.
The impact the choices you make and the actions you take have (on the environment, on people around you, on people elsewhere, etc.)
Spiritual
What does spiritual success mean? I have no idea. That’s up to you to decide. But here are some questions that might help you explore it (these are focused on the present moment as a starting point).
- Do I feel spiritually connected?
- Am I living in alignment with my spiritual values and beliefs?
- Do I have enough in my life that reflects and reinforces my spirituality?
- Do I feel like I’m actively on the spiritual path, or have I wandered off?
You can use those questions to explore a broader success definition by asking, “What would it look like to…?”
What would it look like to feel spiritually connected?
What would it look like to live in alignment with my spiritual values and beliefs?
What would it look like to have enough in my life that reflects and reinforces my spirituality?
What would it look like to be on the spiritual path?
Balancing your holistic success system
One major benefit of identifying what success in each of these areas looks like is that it allows you to more consciously do the balancing act. “OK, the long hours I’m putting in are having a detrimental effect on my health. They’re helping me be successful in my work, but am I willing to sacrifice my physical well-being success for that? If so, for how long?”
(It’s worth noting that compromising your physical well-being is ultimately going to have a negative impact on every other part of that holistic success system as well, so you can take that into account as you weigh the trade-offs.)
So there you have it. It takes more work than “success means earning X amount of money and rising to X level position,” but it also unlocks the door to the potential for a more vibrant, energized, and balanced life.
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