HOW DO YOU DEFINE SUCCESS?

It is New Year, well, early into 2013. Everyone has big dreams for themselves, our families or our businesses. In other words, we all have that burning desire to be successful. However, there is one factor that keeps us from defining our ultimate goal or rather success. People define success is very different ways. In fact, those who are regarded as successful in our midst range from professors, rich entrepreneurs, famous music artists and film actors/actresses. How do you define success?

When everyone was growing up, we had this dream of becoming someone in the society. We might not have known what success meant but the sheer association with certain careers or people actually showed we considered those as successful people. Have you become what you wanted to be when you grow up? Anyone you know? Well, life changed as I grew into an adult and so has my view of different things. One might have seen being a doctor as a very cool job without knowing what it takes to be one. Besides, exposure to the outside world and a wider variety of options has had an impact on my view of what/ who is a successful person in our society despite the fact that society equates success to material wealth and possession. Material wealth and possession are just a little reflection of the much bigger picture of success.

Success is self-defined and thus varies from one person to the other. A footballer, a businessman and a president could all be termed has successful but each one of them defines their own success. For instance, Lionel Messi may define his success in football by the number of medals, trophies and personal honors won by him and his club, a businessman on the other hand, by how much profit returns his business fetches whereas a president may define his success by how stable his country is, increase in GDP etc. In addition, success is a personal journey. It is not defined by others’ standards. One has to feel that their success is a true reflection of them, that it is authentic. This means accolades, fame and even wealth is not a marker for success to everyone as society would want us to believe.

All that said, there is, however, a common point in defining success. If you want to determine whether you are or not successful, ask yourself – Am I happy in my life? Happiness is the turning point for unsuccessful and successful persons. One may have a low income, a small house and few material possessions but is happy. A person who is happy with his family, friends and reaches out to other people is a successful person in his own measure. A wealth businessperson with lots of material possessions but has an unhappy life is not successful in life but rather in the business world. Success should be in bit in one’s life. Instead of the wealth and material possession to be a reflection of a bigger successful life story, they become a cover to a rough and struggling unhappy life of a person.

Well, as we maneuver through 2013 in pursuit for a comfortable successful life, let’s ask ourselves these questions?

1.       Am I enjoying life?

2.       Am I making a difference in the lives of others?

3.       Am I successful in the eye of The Almighty God?

Define what success means to you, material wealth, spiritual and physical aspects of it. When you have a good idea of what success means to you personally then I encourage you to seek out those things that you love to do, that you feel passionate about and feel fulfilled in. Remember to live a happy life.

The only true success is success that comes from the soul.