the secret of my success

my girlfriend sandi has to give a talk on success tomorrow evening.

success, like discipline, has accumulated a warped meaning over the years. when i say describe success, someone is more likely to respond, "financial!" "recognition!" which is the second definition of success, ("the attainment of wealth, fame or position") than the first, which is simply, "doing what was desired or attempted".

i consider myself to be very successful. why? because we can live in a city we love, and by making the necessary cutbacks to our lifestyle and goals, i don't have to go out of the home to work, i can stay home with the children, which is where we feel i should be right now. those are my goals, and i have them.

my definition of success does not gel with many others, who consider a 15 per cent annual increase in take home pay, supporting a younger relative through school, promotions, working for a specific charity, the ability to see one new country per year (that was my old one), restoring a family home,  etc, their definition of success.

if i could give you some advice:

KNOW your definition of success, otherwise how will you know it once you achieve it?

be CONFIDENT in your definition of success. who is anyone to tell you what you want is wrong? being a stay at home mum is successful? unless i am jk rowling, can i really say that with a straight face? yes i can, because this is what i want. and even better, those around me want it too.

success can be a passenger, or a driver. you can chase it, or it can be beside you. don't let it shape you entirely, but don't be afraid to take confidence in your successes. and your failures.

failures.

those are the things people want to hear about. those are what make you interesting. people love to hear the rags to riches stories, but not as much as they love to hear how a person toppled off the pedastal.

but people love the failure stories. tabloids don't make money by reporting that brad and angelina look "So Happy"...reporting their rows sells.

know your definition of success, and own up to your failures. we've all got an interesting success story or failure. what's yours?

Comments

[Auntie Pammie]

success is so personalized. I would love to share my stories but choose to keep them to myself at this time. I know that for me success is measured in small steps. This way it reduces the failure rate and sets reasonable goals for ones-self.

[marta]

To me, success was discovering a career topic where I was good AND that I enjoyed.
To my friends, me working for free in my field of choice, until I got a grant, was success.

[Cristy]

I don't feel I've succeded in anything as of yet. I'm proud of Ava, my daughter. But with my life in general not really. All the problems are too complex to put in one comment, but this is the second post I've read today about personal fullfillment and how to help you be the best you can and want to be. I've alot of things to think about today.

[Maggs]

I LOVE to hear your stories, good and bad. But I like the good ones about my sweet Carys even better.

I've been following the babes since they were still in-utero days before being born!