How Do You Define Success?
Some people think success is about money, others believe it's about status, and some measure it by the amount of time they've been alive. But what do you think success is? Do you know? What does successful mean to you? If you're personally redefining what success means to yourself each day will your definition eventually change too?
Come share your thoughts on these topics as well as 5 ways to define your personal "success" in the comments below!
To succeed in anything, you need a strong vision for how life should be different after achieving that goal. Successful people know what obstacles they need to overcome and prepare themselves for those challenges. Knowing the obstacles to success before you even begin can help you overcome them and avoid those scary mental hurdles in the first place.
How do we define success? People who succeed have different definitions for success than those who fail. And, as people redefine what "success" means to them, their definition of "success" changes too. Still, others measure their level of success by counting time or organizing their life into achievements.
How do people define success? What defines a successful life? These are some of the questions that Dr. Carol Dweck, professor of psychology and education at Stanford University asks in her book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success (Random House Trade Paperbacks 2009).
You might be surprised to learn that it isn't always the result that defines success. It's how you think about the results. The process is where your real value is.
If you're like most people, you want to be successful, but what does it really mean to be successful? How do we define success? Successful people think differently and have a different mindset from those who are unsuccessful. And in her book she talks about what mindset we need in order to succeed.
In Dr. Dweck's book, she says there are two types of mindsets that determine whether or not you succeed: a fixed mindset and a growth mindset (think of them as "riverbeds").
The fixed mindset is the belief that your capabilities are unchangeable. "I'm so smart, no one can teach me anything," is a fixed mindset statement. On the other hand, a growth mindset is when you believe you can learn and grow because of your own hard work, desire to learn and ability to study. "I'm smart but I need to work hard at it," is a growth mindset statement.
How Do you Define Success? Thought it might help you define what success means to you.
Definitions of Success in My Book Include: Self Improvement / Self Reflection / Self Awareness / Personal Growth / Hard Work
You may have heard the saying, "If at first you don't succeed . . ." Maybe you think that means, "If at first you don't try, you won't succeed." Or maybe you may have heard it in a different way and thought that if it hasn't happened yet, it may never happen.
And even though the saying is kind of true, or maybe just plain old-fashioned, I think success is something we can work on to strive for. Nothing can make us perfect; so whether we realize it or not, we are always going to have things we want to improve upon when it comes to our skills and talents.
Definitions of Success in My Book Include: Learning from Mistakes / More Knowledge / Knowledge of Self / Growth Mindset / Grit
We all have the ability to change and grow as we get older, but it takes time and effort. Success may come when you achieve an achievement or certain result, but it is always evolving as you learn new things and grow as a person. It may come in the form of a goal you have always wanted to achieve, or maybe it's a new skill, hobby or interest you have come across.
Definitions of Success in My Book Include: Shared Interests / New Growth / Happiness / Personal Growth / Leadership / Special Interest
I know some people who took classes and became "certified" as a personal trainer. They put this title on their business cards, framed certificates and hung them up on their walls to show that they were certified. In my opinion, this means that they have worked to become certified and studied for the test. This is success for them because it verified their hard work and intention.
Definitions of Success in My Book Include: Self-Help / Learning / Education / Working Hard / Attitude & Positive Thinking
I feel that education doesn't necessarily mean a college degree or formal schooling. I believe everyone should learn something new each day and embrace learning new things every chance they get. You can learn from working hard to accomplish your goals, from watching something funny on TV or taking a class online to learn about something you didn't know much about. You can form a hobby or special interest, or even just make new friends.
Definitions of Success in My Book Include: Personal Growth / Learning / Education / Self-Improvement / Getting Better Every Day / Attitude & Positive Thinking
When I think of success, I think about becoming more aware of myself and living my life more to the fullest. My definition of success is not about making money or other materialistic things; it's about being happy and working hard for that happiness. So maybe your definition of success would be different from mine; either way, we can all work on making our definitions of success better for ourselves.
Definitions of Success in My Book Include: Hard Work / Doing Your Best / Gratitude for All Things / Attitude & Positive Thinking
Whether you want to call it 'success' or not, I believe that the important thing is to get out of bed every morning and try your best. Don't let anything stop you or stop your determination to succeed. That's the definition of success for me – doing what I can and still striving to improve.
Definitions of Success in My Book Include: Self-Improvement / Growth Mindset / Attitude & Positive Thinking
Success is being able to look back at your life and know that you have become a better person. It doesn't mean that you're always going to be successful or that other people will think you are successful. But if you can look back on your life and say "I was a better person than when I started," then you have succeeded.
Conclusion:
The definition of success can be different depending on who you ask. It is important to realize that you can never fully achieve success without coping with failure first. In other words, failure is a part of success. Your mindset about what success means to you is up to you, but as long as you are working hard towards your goals and improving yourself in the process, I think it is safe to call yourself successful.
Definitions of Success in My Book Include: Positive Attitude / Self-Improvement / Personal Growth / Gratitude for All Things
I don't know if my definition of success has changed much over the years, but I do know that it's different than what people may think.