What is the my definition of success? This is a question that is always at the back of our minds, yet remains unanswered. It can and does mean so many things. It is about what makes us happy, what drives us forward, what motivates us to do what we do, what makes us feel safe, what makes us feel accomplished, or just generally what makes us feel ourselves.
We only think about this question if someone actually asks us. And someone asked me. I spent the other weekend with a bunch of super active and interesting people at the Start-up Tribe. We had to find a buddy and talk about our definition of success. I have to be honest; I ended up saying something in haste that didn’t exactly lead to what I think success is (and that probably didn’t make any sense).
Since then, I have thought it over. Before I tell you what success means to me, I just wanted to clear out three of its features.
First, success is very personal. It is about you and what you think will make you feel like a million dollars or a million hugs. It is your own interpretation.
Second, success has all four dimensions: it is constant within the space we allow it to take, but may or may not change with time.
Third, your success does not require other people’s approval. Of course getting a tap on your back or a genuine comment of appreciation for what we do is absolutely fantastic. However, both your definition of success and the act of being successful can live and thrive without an exhausting search of approval.
Considering these three features, I decided that for me, right now and at this moment, 4 things define success. I call it the “F” manifesto, in no particular order:
Family – have enough time to spend with family and friends and the ability to make them happy and help them when they need;
Fitness – continue being healthy, in good shape and with loads of energy;
Freedom – have the freedom to chose what I do and how I do it without worrying about money; and have the freedom to explore beyond the comfortable and the known;
Fun – have fun, be adventurous, and enjoy life.
What is your definition of success? Think about it.