When it comes to success your only measurement should be your happiness. Defining success should be personal, including the achievements that make you unique. Whether you are a stay-at-home-mom or an entrepreneur, your success and being successful is entirely up to you.
How to Develop Your Own Definition of Success
How you measure success should directly reflect the things you want most from your life. Despite the fact that success varies greatly from one person to the next, there are some questions you can ask yourself in defining success.
- What are the things of most importance to you?
When you can clearly see all of the things that are important to you and that interest you, it will help in developing your idea of success. Simply make a laundry list of priorities; include everything from your family and friends to hiking the mountains and starting your own business.
- What are your most essential goals?
These items help in defining success because they will give you feelings of achievement and fulfillment. These goals should encompass all aspects of your life and well being: occupation, physical fitness, relationships, spirituality, etc.
- What do I need to accomplish my essential goals?
Most of the items on your essential goals list will require a physical cost in the form of time, money, or exertion. So, for this aspect of defining success you need to determine the exact cost for each goal and add it all up. As an example, you are not successful by having the most money, but by having enough money to accomplish the things of most importance.
Once you have answered these questions you will be well on your way to defining success. Then keep in mind, being successful is not an end result, but more of a journey fraught with ups and downs. There is no such division as success and failure, but rather facing challenges and living an abundant life should be the definition of success.