2022-07-28 Success is taking full control over your life

“Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it.” — Bruce Lee

One of the most common barriers to success is an unbalanced definition of success. Some people define it too narrowly, while others define it too broadly. For example, some people might define success as making lots of money. Others might define success as happiness.

If you want more out of life, define what you need to

If you don’t know what success means to you, people will define it for you and expect you to fit into their definition of success.

It can be tempting to compare yourself to others if you don’t know where you are headed. Don’t lose sight of what makes you unique.

Instead, take the time to think about what defines success for you. Is it fame or notoriety? Is it financial or social status? Whatever it is, make sure that your definition aligns with your goals.

“Peace of mind attained only through self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you’re capable,” says John Wooden.

To achieve what you want, your definition must match your actions — if they don’t, you may need to adjust them. Either way, continue to work toward what you want for yourself, not what society expects of you.

Like most things in life, defining success on your own terms is a process that takes time and effort. You’ll have to figure out what’s important to you and then figure out how you will get it.

If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to find a career path that meshes well with your values and goals. But even if you don’t find a perfect fit right away, it’s never too early to start working towards your goals anyway.