What does success look like to you?
A few years ago, I was sitting next to a man on a plane who, on the surface, appeared to be hugely successful. He was in his early 40s, had recently stepped down from a big job in the banking sector, and told me he had enough money that he never needed to work again. And then he told me he was desperately lonely, wanted to find love and happiness with the right woman, and how exactly did he go about doing that?
On paper, this man (let’s call him Tom) had an enviable life. He owned a beautiful apartment, could afford to travel business class, stay in fancy hotels, spoil his nieces and nephews with whatever he wanted.
However, the reality is that he was deeply unhappy.
For so many years, Tom had been relentlessly pursuing money and status. It wasn’t until he achieved all this, that he realised there was a big hole in his life.
He was questioning whether the decisions he made as a 20-something were really the right ones now he was a 40-something.
I’ve been thinking about Tom a lot lately and wondering if he has found the love and happiness he was seeking.
I recently spoke on a panel at the Accountex conference about how to bring balance, meaning and success to business and it had me thinking about what we need to do to identify our current state and then make the necessary changes to improve it.
Determining and measuring success is such a personal choice.
What success looks like for me is unlikely to be what it looks like for you. And what it looks like today will probably be different from what it looked like 5, 10, 20 years ago, or will look like in the future.
In my 20s I measured success by seeing how many stamps I could get on my passport. In my 30s it was about rapid career progression, saving enough to buy a home and meeting someone I wanted to go on more than two dates with. Today I measure success by how many times I can get to the beach each week, and by doing work I love with people whose company I genuinely enjoy.
If you haven’t thought about how to measure your success, consider some of these suggestions:
Achieving specific goals, such as achieving a specific level of education, building a successful business, or completing a personal project.
Financial stability, such as having a steady income, paying off debt or attaining a specific value of assets.
Personal growth – perhaps you want to develop new skills, overcome a personal challenge, or pursue a passion.
Making a positive impact on others, which could include volunteering, mentoring, or making a difference in your community.
Status, recognition and accolades are a measure of success for many people, and includes awards, promotions, or public recognition for accomplishments.
Happiness and fulfillment measures focus on personal satisfaction and well-being, and include having fulfilling personal relationships, enjoying hobbies and interests, or feeling a sense of purpose in life.
Success means different things to different people.
What does it look like for you? I’d love to know.
