Redefining Success

We discuss how to form a personal definition of success, why the cultural meaning of success is too generalized, and why it is essential to pay attention to your markers of success.

Illustration by Belle McDaniel

You might have grown up with a preconceived notion of what it looks like to be successful. Success looks like owning a house, having a spouse and kids, and a high-paying job for many people. In America, these ideas of success are presented repeatedly throughout our schooling and in the media we consume. It’s easy to use these events as map markers on life’s journey and to say if you don’t obtain this goal by a certain age, you are falling behind or are a failure in life. The pressure from the culture surrounding success causes many people to chase after things they don’t want, all to appease others’ expectations.

Here’s a secret I wish I had known earlier. You can create a personal definition of success, and instead of chasing after checkbox goals made by someone else, you can define your own markers of success. This concept is beyond empowering, and I’ve witnessed so many of my friends and loved ones thrive once they defined their version of success.

In a previous article, I covered the idea of wholistic wealth, and I think that article is a great starting point to determine your markers of success. Personally, I feel successful when I feel healthy, connected, and inspired. The times in my life where I felt the most successful were when the people I worked with inspired me, I felt connected to my community, and I took the time to maintain my physical and mental health. I would encourage you to think about what emotions correlate with your version of success, check-in with yourself to see how you are feeling and make any adjustments you need.

The main issue with wrapping success with the standard definition is the lack of control, but your effort, attitude, and mindset are always in your control. Success can look like daring to be a beginner, no matter your age or experience level. Daring to begin again can look like changing careers, going back to school, or learning a new skill later in life. By the cultural standard of success, this could look like taking a step backward, but the most successful people who I admire and look up to are those who are not afraid to change directions or try again.

I have a deep belief that the effort and energy you put into the world will come back to you. Instead of defining success by awards and acceptance, I lean toward defining success by grit and determination. Success isn’t somewhere you arrive. It is a never-ending process of iteration. Anyone can try something once and give up when it doesn’t play out how they wanted. Genuinely successful people will learn from each attempt and hold a vision in their heads. Iteration is a success. Constantly learning and growing are successes. Notoriety and rewards are just a byproduct that follows effort.

I want to wrap up this article with a quote from Winston Churchill, “Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.”

I hope this article inspired you to move out of the box of cultural success. I hope you’ll create a personal definition of success by mapping out your markers. Redefining success can lift the unhealthy pressure of comparison off our shoulders and open the door to living a more intuitive and creative life.