Most of us have a strong desire to be successful in life. We see success as a mountain to be conquered, a dragon to be slain, a destination to be reached – in other words, a single point in time which will define who we are.
We strive for this elusive destination where we think happiness and fulfillment lie, yet somehow the road to that destination just seems to go on endlessly with only mirages of what we seek along the way. We tell ourselves that the next promotion will be our destination for career success, or that successfully parenting our children means making sure they can pursue a tertiary education, or that when we have this or that certification we will be a success in our field of expertise.
We keep chasing this idea of success, hoping that the “next big thing” will fill the void where happiness and fulfillment should be. But every time we think we have arrived at our destination and grasp hold of what we thought would make us feel successful, it turns to insubstantial wisps of smoke in our hands and we are forced to set our sights on yet another “next big thing”.
What if, instead of thinking about success as a destination, we thought of it as a state. We can live in a constant state of success – and thus happiness and fulfillment – if we create new definitions of success for ourselves. You could define career success as holding to your values and striving for growth no matter what. You could define successful parenting as creating a safe haven for your children where they feel supported, accepted and celebrated for giving their best. You could define success in your field as having a thirst for knowledge and the intention to make a positive difference no matter how seemingly small.
Have you ever asked yourself when exactly you will consider yourself to be successful? Is there a better way for you to define success for yourself which will allow you to experience happiness and fulfillment right now?
Wishing you success that is meaningful and lasting!
Portal to Change 