What does success mean to you? There are many indications of success that society recognizes. For some this means to have a high paying job, a beautiful home or drive a nice car. To others it may mean marrying a handsome man or beautiful woman, raising children and seeing them graduate from a prestigious university.
The dictionary defines success as, 1. “The achievement of something desired, planned, or attempted.” 2. “The gaining of fame or prosperity.” (www.thedictionary.com)
There are certain key words in this definition which deserve a closer look. What can we learn from these messages?
- The achievement of something implies a specific objective must have been established. To be successful you must have a goal to work toward.
- Something desired means you want it deeply. Desire is important as it keeps us motivated to work hard and stay the course, striving toward our goals.
- Planning is a must when it comes to achieving your objectives and ultimately to become successful. As the adage goes, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”
- To attempt something means to take action. You can think about, even plan all you like but unless you take action success cannot be achieved. Nothing happens until something moves.
- The gaining of fame or prosperity, not just having it! It is not the fame or prosperity in itself that makes you successful, rather the process that you go through to obtain it.
All of these factors contribute to living a “successful life.” While someone can define components of success it is up to you to decide what really matters in your life. Perhaps John Wooden, the legendary UCLA basketball coach said it best, “Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable off becoming.”
