| Why is this question important? | | | | to stay true to your values in the long run. |
| One of the most important career and life-planning | | | | Accept There Are Always Alternatives. The very |
| activities you can engage in is finding your own | | | | fact that so many of us have not questioned the |
| definitions or models of success. This is vitally | | | | paths we are on speaks to a lack of awareness or |
| important for a number of reasons: If you haven't | | | | acceptance of alternate paths. There have never |
| done this, how do you know what's best for you? | | | | been more options or valid ways of defining career |
| How can you make career decisions if you aren't | | | | and life success. |
| crystal clear about how you define success? How | | | | Examine Your Path. Do you love what you do? Do |
| can you be happy if you don't know when you're | | | | you do fantastic work as a result? Does your work |
| successful? | | | | complement your personal and family life or detract |
| If this question is relevant to you right now... | | | | from it? Are you excited about your vision of the |
| There is never a bad time to discover and be clear | | | | future? Is this your best use of your precious gifts |
| on your definition of success. Today's economic | | | | and time? |
| realities make the timing even better. If your career | | | | Create Some Quiet, Introspective Time. Ask yourself |
| hasn't gone according to plan, or even if it has, | | | | these questions: |
| reexamine what it is you actually want. Doing so can | | | | What makes me happy? How do I feel? What do I |
| make you a lot happier. | | | | want? And then, answer a question from the |
| Successful -- on Whose Terms? | | | | coaching school CoachVille.com, "I know how |
| If you haven't taken the time to define it, success | | | | successful I am by how (fill in the blank)." The |
| has already been defined for you. You're already | | | | answers to this question will point you in the right |
| following models of career and life success. The | | | | direction. You can have several definitions of success |
| question is whether they are your own, or ones you | | | | as long as they don't contradict each other. |
| inherited. One of your greatest career challenges is | | | | Refine Your Responses. Ask yourself "why?" and "is |
| identifying goals and definitions of success that are | | | | that what I really want?" after each response to the |
| true to you rather than ones you inherited from | | | | statement until each rings true. For example, if your |
| family, society and other outside forces. Your current | | | | first response was, "I'll know I am successful when I |
| model of success may or may not work for you. | | | | am a millionaire," ask yourself why you want to be a |
| The important thing is understanding your | | | | millionaire. You might, for example, find out that |
| assumptions and questioning them. | | | | success for you is to have the freedom to use your |
| If you follow a path to success that isn't your own, | | | | time as you wish, or the ability to travel or be rid of |
| you may achieve your goals, but when you arrive at | | | | financial worries. This process may lead you to make |
| your destination, you may not feel successful or | | | | other decisions in your life that will help you reach |
| fulfilled at all. | | | | your goal. |
| Keep in mind that your existing job may hold the key | | | | Test Your Responses with People Who Know You |
| to your happiness. For example, if you were to | | | | Really Well. Do they ring true? |
| discover that making your customers happy was the | | | | One definition of success that puts this philosophy |
| one thing that defines and inspires you, what would | | | | into simple words comes from American author |
| that do to your focus and state of mind? | | | | Christopher Morley, who wrote: |
| Choose Your Own Definition of Success | | | | "There is only one success -- to be able to spend |
| You have the power to reaffirm existing models or | | | | your life in your own way." |
| adopt new models of success. All it takes is some | | | | Being clear about how you define success will reap |
| honest thinking, clarity of purpose and the discipline | | | | immeasurable rewards. |