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