The True Meaning of Success

Success can be a rather abstract term and it can mean very different things to different people. Trying to define what success is is not easy. To most people, success means achieving a goal. In order to achieve a goal, a person usually has to work hard and believe in himself. Being successful at what you do can also be very motivating. People who are successful in one project, tend to be more successful in other projects. This is because they get the feeling that their hard work pays off and that a goal is worth their time and effort. Success usually goes hand in hand with appreciation. If someone we know succeeds at what he or she does, we will most certainly congratulate them. This will make them feel good and motivate them even further. To some people, success means being the best at what they do. This means, that the requirements are even higher in order to succeed: just taking part and achieving good results is not enough. This attitude is especially true to sportsmen and women. In sports, you do not simply want to be good, you want to be the best and make first place or achieve a new world record. People who always want to be the best are usually more disappointed if they do not achieve their goals. Another truth about success is that it can create envy. If you are good at what you do, others will want to be good at the same thing, and if they are not as good as you, they will envy you. This means that success can create a bitter taste in your mouth, because instead of being happy about your achievements, people are mean to you. In this case it is important not to forget that you have done well and that there are many other people who appreciate what you have done. Just think about it this way: if people envy you, you have done something right. And if you are lucky, the envious people will see your success as a means of motivation for achieving their own goals. Success means more to some people than to others. Some want to be successful by all means, others are satisfied by simply trying and giving their best, whether they succeed or not.

What is the meaning of success? What is success?

I recently thought about these questions and couldnt quite come up with an adequate answer on my own. This was because I came to realise that there is more to success that what we normally perceive it to be.

So rather than give my own ideas on the matter I asked subscribers to The Dreamers Guide Motivation Newsletter what success meant to them. The answers were quite varied, although quite a lot had some things in common.

This just goes to show that, to some extent, success is a personal thing. You may achieve exactly the same thing as someone else and yet not feel as successful as the other person. It all depends on your perspective as these success quotes and famous success quotes show.

Speaking of perspectives, I came across some very interesting perspectives on success and some of its adverse effects from Life-sip.com. I never quite thought of success as a cancer, but it could be.

The Meaning of Success

successful woman The meaning of success is unique and personal for each of us. Yet in a larger sense, as you will see, it's exactly the same. Some see success primarily in terms of financial wealth. They value their financial independence and security.

Or perhaps the influence, control and power that goes with wealth.

Others see success in the acquisition of material possessions. Success means being able to spend freely and enjoy the good things in life.

For many, success is about raising and being part of a loving family, about maintaining deeply satisfying relationships with friends and colleagues, and about contributing something worthwhile to their community or to a cause they believe in. For some, the meaning of success may lie in attaining fame and recognition for great achievement - for example in sport or entertainment, or as a writer, academic or scientist.

A successful life is a chosen journey along the path to fulfilment of your unique genetic capacity as a human being. Success involves discovering that capacity within yourself, and working with courage and commitment towards expressing it as best you can.

We differ deeply in our details. Our capacities and aspirations are unique.

I just can't really be what you can be; I'm not built that way. And you can't do precisely what I can do. Your unique talent is, well, unique.

We can try to be what we're not. Many of us live our lives doing just that, because we've allowed circumstances to control our choices.

In a sense, when you let this happen, you force yourself, against your true instincts, to be something you're not. You become a lawyer, not a cellist, because that was expected of you. You create an inner tension that's always there, unconsciously eating away at you. You grit your teeth and go against the grain. Grin and bear it.

When your heart is not in something, you'll never be really good at it. And you know it. Deep inside, you don't even want to succeed. Unconsciously you want to prove you're in the wrong place. You yearn to be somewhere else.

Personal success can't be found when you're looking in the wrong place.

We all have our unique natural inclinations. We lean towards this or that.

Follow your dream for life success Follow your heart. The true meaning of success may lie in doing what you love. Your urge to succeed as, say, a top fashion designer, is vastly different from your best friend's burning ambition to be a successful script writer.

The meaning of success lies within you.

Your best shot at finding fulfillment (success) in your life is to go deep within and discover your passion.

The true meaning of success isn't just about becoming the best you can at what you do; it starts with finding what is the right thing for you to become best at.

Do what you love and love what you do. Chances are others will love you for it too.

Don't become a dentist or a lawyer simply because that's what your Dad wants you to be. And don't try writing scripts just because your best friend does. It's her thing, but is it yours? That's what matters.

If you're already on a particular path and you can feel it's not right for you, perhaps now is the time to change.

Success, then, appears meaningful in terms of individual purpose. Indeed, one of the keys to success is to work on finding your life purpose.

But can we say something more useful about the meaning of success? Can we point the way to living more successful lives? We need more than "Follow your heart." How do we actually become more successful?

In practical terms, what is success, exactly? How do we go about defining success? And measuring it? And achieving it? Top

2 A universal meaning of success As individuals we differ. Yet we can still create a shared definition of the meaning of success

That's because fulfilling our human potential, not just achieving specific goals, is the true measure of success

Specific goals are only stepping stones on the way to becoming the best you can be.

Specific goals may be small or large. Your goal to become a top fashion designer is still just one of your specific goals, even though it concern's your intended life's work, and achieving it will impact on your future in every conceivable way.

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The Meaning Of Success

1 Keeping it personal 2 A universal meaning 3 Growth, goals and values 4 "But what will others think?" 5 Pace yourself 6 What really matters? Return to top But achieving a specific goal, no matter how large or comprehensive it is, won't bring you lasting happiness or fulfillment. Nor lasting success.

Success isn't a lasting thing. You don't attain success once and for all.

Sports people like to say, "You're only as good as your last game." That's one sense of what I'm talking about. If you want to stay on top, you can't just rest on your laurels. You have to stay ahead of the game. Your successful designs last season are history now. They may help enormously with your reputation and credibility, but you've still got to earn your place in this year's market all over again.

There's another deeper reason however, why success doesn't last. Tomorrow your circumstances, needs and desires will all change. Change, they say, is the only constant.

As you grow, your tastes mature. As you age, your roles and your needs change in line with your current phase of life. At various points in time you become a student, a wife/husband, a professional, a parent, a leader, a grandparent, a retiree. You adapt naturally, and with this, you alter your views on the meaning of success for you, right now, at this stage of your life.

Turning success into a verb

Partly, our fascination with the meaning of success is because we see it as a noun, a thing to be had.

If fact, success is more like a verb. You have to 'success' your way through life.

A successful person is one who keeps on 'successing,' drawing the best out of opportunities and circumstances where 'best' means bringing out the best in yourself.

Becoming the best you you can be. Realizing all your potential.

That's the true meaning of success.

It's a never ending story.

Success, like happiness, is a moving target.

You must keep moving too. Moving on to set new goals, moving on to achieve them. Moving on. Remember, change is the only constant.

You will never truly arrive at a destination called success. Success is about the journey.

Success is something you 'do.' It's really a kind of verb (See box, right.)

You're either successful or not successful at reaching your goals.

The true meaning of success lies in progressively achieving your goals.

But what if your goals are shallow, harmful or lacking in integrity. Can we still speak of success when our achievements are superficial, trivial, or contribute little to the genuine enrichment of your life? Top

3 Growth, goals and values Should the 'quality' of our goals matter in defining success?

Does the meaning of success rely on whether goals are 'worthwhile?'

We each strive for different goals based on our individuality, our current phase of life and development, and our overall circumstances. Goal differences are legitimate and inevitable.

We'd probably all agree however that some goals appear preferable to others when it comes to improving our overall life situation. Some goals are simply better aligned with our desires for achieving improved health, authentic personal growth and a more successful and fulfilling life.

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The Meaning Of Success

1 Keeping it personal 2 A universal meaning 3 Growth, goals and values 4 "But what will others think?" 5 Pace yourself 6 What really matters? Return to top

For example, aren't goals for self improvement and spiritual growth clearly superior to goals for greater material wealth and financial security?

And aren't goals for gaining fame and fortune obviously inferior to goals for growing and giving - for 'becoming a better person?'

Perhaps. On the surface, yes, decidedly so. But life, of course, is infinitely more complex than hasty judgements may suggest.

If it were that simple, we'd all have realized our full potential long ago. We'd have no need to ask about the meaning of success - we'd all be setting 'good' goals for growth, and being fabulous living example of completely successful lives.

The fact is, we're not always 'ready' for higher goals, for many reasons.

Let's look at this. Like everyone else, you're a complicated mixture of strengths and weaknesses, capacities and aspirations, loves and aversions.

You've reached certain levels of psychological, emotional and spiritual growth. At this stage in your life cycle, you face unique responsibilities, constraints, opportunities and demands on your time and energy.

These things and many others determine who you are at this point in your life. You're a product your genes, your conditioning, your beliefs and background experiences, your life choices and acquired habits. Who you are at this moment is a crucial factor in determining who you can become in the next moment because it governs the choices you are able to see before you.

As you evolve and your consciousness expands, you become increasingly aware of the vast universe of possible of choices present in every moment of your being.

In any given moment you can choose to grow. You can choose the 'success' goals that will propel you toward reaching your potential.

Choosing healthy food The meaning of success lies in progressively choosing and reaching the right goals, as in making sure to include healthy, fresh food in your diet. You can choose the healthy meal over the junk food.

You can decide to manage your anger, rebuild a relationship, do the extra work required to earn that promotion, take a course in Yoga.

When you're 'ready,' growth choices will start revealing themselves to you.

And you'll discover the inner stength and resourcefulness you need to reach these goals.

You'll become increasingly capable of recognizing and taking the next steps toward health, growth and success that are right for you, right now.

The bottom line is, there's no need for you to get hung up on whether your goals are 'worthwhile.'

For you at this time, a bigger house and a new model car may be perfectly appropriate goals. There is nothing wrong with material success.

As you follow the 6 Healthy Habits, you will begin naturally to recognise success goals, and to reorder your life priorities accordingly. As you grow, your values will change, and so will your goals. It's best to allow this to happen gradually. Surrender to the flow, without fuss and without causing disruption in your life.

Many people worry however, that by taking steps to bring about real change in their lives, they will draw critical attention to themselves and create potential conflicts as others react to their 'new' behaviours. Top

4 "But what will others think?" Fearing the opinion of others undermines your search for success

The meaning of success comes from within; don't be deflected from your truth by the expectations of others

Some seek the meaning of success in pleasing their parents, or in meeting the expectations of peers and others in their group - their family, friends, colleagues or a wider social or 'public' sphere.

But life is about more than 'doing what is expected of you.' You can't make your mark on the world while you're trying to create someone else's vision.

When you're driven primarily by a need to please others, you neglect the need to 'please yourself,' that is, to nourish your own health, growth and success.

You must make the best of yourself before you can give the best of yourself.

What you have to offer the world is unique and may be desperately needed, but if you fail to flourish, it will be lost to everyone, forever.

The best you can do for others is to find your passion and nourish it in their service. You may not always 'please' them in the short term, but over time you give your greatest gifts when you first cultivate your inner capacity. Make this the first priority in your life.

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1 Keeping it personal 2 A universal meaning 3 Growth, goals and values 4 "But what will others think?" 5 Pace yourself 6 What really matters? Return to top

The vision others hold for you can't remotely match the greatness of your potential. Yes, others may mean well and care for you deeply, but what can they truly know of the seed that lies within you - the dreams you dare and the promise you are yet to fulfill?

Draw inspiration from the deep inner well of your unconscious capacity for greatness. There you will find the meaning of success.

Always remember though, that when you set goals for long term health, growth and success, it's crucial to take things one step at a time. If you overdo it, you risk running out of puff and giving up on your journey.

Pace yourself, like a long-distance runner. Balance your life, leaving plenty of time for other activities and relationships.Top

5 Pace yourself Don't push the river, it flows by itself

The meaning of success is lost on the growth junkie who fails to engage with his world

Growth brings its own momentum. It will carry you along.

The 6 Healthy Habits are designed to bring you balanced and sustained self improvement covering all areas of your life. You can achieve outstanding health, personal growth and success while staying fully immersed in your world.

You don't have to become a hermit or a social outcast. Quite the contrary, you will learn to live consciously, deepening your conscious presence in every aspect of your life that matters to you. Stuff you don't really care about just falls away without a fuss.

Take it easy. With the 6 Healthy Habits there's no need to overdo it. You needn't be fanatical, or obsessed with your health, growth and success.

In fact, if you reach too far, the gravity of your present habits and beliefs will pull you back. You will likely lose momentum and stall.

Growth is a journey to be taken one step at a time. It's the work of a lifetime. In fact, to find and follow your pathway, step by step as it unfolds before you, is the true meaning of success.

A walk in the woods compared to the meaning of success in life's journey As with a walk in the woods, the meaning of success lies in surmounting the challenges and enjoying the experiences of life's great journey When you walk through the woods, you don't expect to just 'magically' place yourself at the other end of the path.

You follow the path one step at a time.

As you round each twist and turn along your way, the next few steps are revealed.

You keep going in your easy stride until you arrive successfully at your destination.

Yet the point of walking in the woods is not to get to the end of the path.

To get from A to B, it's quicker to take the bus.

You walk to take pleasure in the natural beauty along the way and to experience the healthy challenge and exhilaration that comes with the act of walking.

As with the meaning of success in your larger journey of life, the point of your walk is to enjoy the journey, savoring it simply for it's own sake.

You can safely reach the end of your path through the woods, but if you haven't enjoyed your walk, you probably wouldn't say it had been 'successful.'

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1 Keeping it personal 2 A universal meaning 3 Growth, goals and values 4 "But what will others think?" 5 Pace yourself 6 What really matters? Return to top So it is with life. The meaning of success lies in enjoying the journey. We use many words to describe dimensions of this enjoyment of life. We speak of happiness, fulfillment, having a rewarding life, a life that's enriched, worthwhile, enjoying life to the fullest, a life worth living and so on. These are complex terms that resonate for each of us in many ways.

The bottom line is, that to enjoy the full richness that life has to offer, you must realize your personal potential as fully as you can. To do that is the real meaning of success.

As you walk through the woods, you are guided by a path, and perhaps by a map. What is the compass for your journey through life?Top

6 What really matters? What counts is the meaning of success for you

Your deepest feelings about the meaning of success may lie outside your awareness

Drawing together the thoughts discussed on this page, it's clear that we all see the meaning of success in different ways. Your beliefs about success are governed by three things which are uniquely personal, and largely outside your conscious awareness. These are:

your personal belief system;

your phase of life;

your current stage of personal growth.

1. Your personal belief system

Your personal belief system is your overall view of the world, and of your place in it. It is the sum of your beliefs, values, attitudes and intentions. Much of the content of your belief system is unconscious. You are not aware of it. Yet it's the most powerful force in your life, governing almost everything you do. And it is crucial to your beliefs about the meaning of success.

You may know what you are doing much of the time, but you likely have very little idea why you are doing it.

Peter M Senge, in his brilliant and extremely influential bestseller The Fifth Discipline uses the term governing ideas to describe the importance of individual and team beliefs to the success of organisations.

Governing ideas embrace the shared vision, purpose and values that ultimately determine the success or otherwise of an organisation.

Some people call this comprehensive view of the world and human life your world view.

It has become such an important concept that the German word-equivalent, weltanschuuang has crept into English usage as a helpful term for expert discussions.

It's sometimes referred to as your internal map of reality, the set of silent assumptions that unconsiously guide your interaction with the world.

A similar term we often hear is philosophy of life. The idea is that we each have an unconscious philosophy of life that acts as a sort of blueprint for living our lives. Your personal belief system can be self-defeating. Limiting beliefs are those that prevent us from taking steps that might lead to growth or success. For example you may think you are not 'good enough' to achieve a particular goal, so you won't even attempt it.

The first of the 6 Healthy Habits, live consciously, addresses directly the issue of bringing to the surface our unconscious beliefs. Research has shown that it is possible to change our beliefs so that they help us rather than hinder us. We can turn limiting beliefs and habits into positive ones that serve us well in our quest for success.

2. You phase of life

At different points in your life, your values will change, and with them your goals and priorities.

Gail Sheehy's book Passages is a classic.

Published in the 1970s and revised in 2006, it remains as relevant today as when it was written. I first read it in 1977 and it remains one of the most powerful books I've read.

On the New York Times bestseller list for over three years and reprinted in twentyeight languages, it's still the definitive book on how to use each life crisis as an opportunity for creative change and growth to reach your full potential. Gail Sheehy's brilliant road map of adult life shows the inevitable personality and sexual changes we go through in our 20s, 30s, 40s, and beyond. Truly a treasure.

This is natural, and is related to your changing roles and responsibilities as you move through your life cycle.

For example the responsibilities and needs you had as a student change when you become a parent and a successful career or business person.

The notion of life phases was popularized by Gail Sheehy, in her influential 1976 book Passages.

In Passages Sheehy descibes the phases in the adult life cycle, and the personal crises and the turning points and opportunities for growth and renewal of purpose inherent in these phases. As you change in response to these phases, your thoughts about the meaning of success in your life are also likely to change.

3. Your current stage of personal growth

Your thoughts about the meaning of success also change as you experience authentic personal growth. As you evolve mentally and spiritually, your outlook on life broadens, and deeper values become important to you.

You begin to understand that there's nothing inherently right or wrong with how you see the meaning of success at any particular moment. It's just natural that as you grow, your choices will become wiser, that is, more aligned with your deeper values and needs.

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1 Keeping it personal

2 A universal meaning 3 Growth, goals and values 4 "But what will others think?" 5 Pace yourself 6 What really matters? Return to top

You'll start acting more responsibly (Healthy Habit number 2) as a natural consequence of this, taking responsibly for your own health, growth and success.

There's a snowballing effect as conscious living and responsible choice begin working their way into every aspect of your life.

This will lead to further growth, authentic personal growth (Healthy Habit number 3), the foundation for all lasting personal change. Top

More on the Meaning of Success

These 12 dimensions of authentic personal growth show how you can keep growing for life, one of the 6 healthy habits.

The key to self improvement and lasting personal change lies in creating and sustaining the self motivation needed for long term lifestyle changes.

Learn here the importance of breaking bad habits.

Our beliefs control our values, attitudes and intentions . . . and our health, growth and success! Belief in yourself, and a strong self image, will empower you to to set and achieve challenging goals with greater confidence than ever before. You, too, can Reach For The Stars.

The meaning of success lies in achieving balanced growth of all aspects of body/mind/spirit. Spiritual growth is the most rewarding journey you can make.

The Meaning of Success The meaning of success is different for all of us. For many people the success factors, they measure against, have something to do with the level of influence, affluence and lifestyle that you live. But is the the only way to define prosperity?

Some time ago I met a woman who by most people's standards is exceptionally successful. Regularly interviewed on national television and radio, fabulous husband, and two gorgeous children, she has the money and lifestyle that most people only dream of. Yet, spend a few hours in her presence and you get the sense that she feels like her life is a bust!

The problem is, she isn't living a life that she feels she owns. It is very clear that she has jumped through all the hoops, and collected all the trophies that would suggest she should be feeling happy, fulfilled and content with her life. Yet, it seems she is none of these. In fact her 'success' is missing something.

success and others expectations

Halfway through the conversation, it reminded me of another conversation, a month earlier with my daughter, Connor, who at the time was aged 12. It struck me, this person doesn't get the meaning of success as easily, or as profoundly, as my daughter.

Connor and I had been talking about life, and what it meant to be successful. She said "I think success is being the person you can be, and living your life the way you want to."

Connor, already, somehow, seems to understand that being popular, or doing what everyone else wants her to do, is not as important as living her values, setting her own goals and feeling content within herself. (For example, I want her to have dancing lessons - she's got a lot of natural talent - and I think lessons could develop it even more. But she resists saying, "I'm a free spirit and I want to create my own style")

At 12, she already gets that the meaning of success is enjoying a life that is her own ... following her own inner calling to what is her bliss ... not one dictated to her by me or anyone else. True success factors in my humble opinion!

Follow Your Bliss

Joseph Campbell As I talked with this very impressive and influential woman in her 40's, it came to me that she just hasn't 'gotten it'. She is still working hard to be approved of, to be popular, to be the leader of the pack, to fit the mold. Even though she has the recognition and wealth that she probably always desired, in her own eyes she isn't succeeding. Her life is not fulfilled, because it isn't hers. She's the mouse on the wheel created by others.

Absolutely, the meaning of success can be fame, more money, bigger house, more toys etc. There's no question about it: these are the things that make for a great life, but they aren't the things that necessarily lead to fulfillment.

Success is not about being driven by peer pressure, to dress the right way, dance the right way, listen to the right music, live in the right neighborhood, have the right size house, drive the right car or have the right career.

Your halcyon days are when you live your own life, according to your values, doing things that are meaningful to you and bring you joy.

If you are feeling that living this way, may be out of your reach right now, you may find it useful to take the Job Career or Calling Quiz and follow that up by reading the article on whether you are in a Job, Career or Calling

Living with passion, following your heart, being loving, and loved, and making a difference, either big or small, to all who come into contact with you - these are the true meanings of success.

Ultimately, the meaning of success is contained within your heart. How are you feeling? If it's celebratory, engaged, uplifted, excited then you are living a successful life. If it is something less than that, it may be time to redefine who you are and how you are living.

Take the rocking chair test. When you are 100+ sitting in your rocking chair reviewing your life, how fulfilling has it been?

The path to success can be many and varied: building a business, being a leader, creating art, or music, being a politician, teacher, health practitioner, being a stay at home Mum or Dad.

Whatever you choose, make sure it is YOUR path and that you are - to quote a very wise 12 year old - "being the person you can be, and living your life the way you want to". The ultimate success factors to measure your life by!