Define your success to live a happier life

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'Define success on your own terms, achieve it by your own terms, and build a life you're proud to live'

Anne Sweeney

Google Definition: ‘Successful - Having achieved fame, wealth, or social status.’

Consciously or not, most of us want to be successful, we work towards the things we associate with success - we aspire to them and revere people who have achieved them.

The problem is that success doesn’t equal happiness.

We all know that wealth, material things, power and status can coexist with happiness, but they do not create it.

It’s possible to be successful without ever finding happiness. But you can be happy whether or not you achieve society’s definitions of ‘success’.

The problem with society’s definitions of success – the one we learn growing up – is that it’s two-dimensional, based exclusively on external, measurable factors. But human wants and needs are three-dimensional, nuanced, and unique to the individual and many are internal and immeasurable.

Therefore, it’s unlikely that prioritising society’s definition of success will lead you to a happy, healthy life.

Instead, define your own success, and pursue it with all your heart.

To work out what success means to you ask yourself powerful questions such as:

• When I’m 80 years old and I look back on my life, what will matter most?
• How do I want to be remembered?
• What are the most important relationships, things and experiences in my life?
• When were the happiest times of my life – what was I prioritising then?
• What are my top five values in life? (Examples: Family, integrity, balance, health, adventure, honesty, passion)

Answering these questions will highlight what really matters to you. If you then include the answers in your personal definition of success, you have a much more complete and accurate picture of what is really important to you. Now you have something worth working towards!

The philosopher and humanitarian Albert Schweitzer said:

‘Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.’

So here’s the kicker… when you pursue the things that make you happy in life, you increase your chances of being successful in every area.

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