A colleague of mine posed this question today,

“What does success mean to you?”

This question gave me a good opportunity to think deeper about my own definition of success.

In my early 20’s, success for me was the gaining of a thing; a job title or promotion, a new car, house, wife and children, lots of toys, nice clothes, etc.

I think we probably all have to go through that stage. I’ve heard David Brooks call it the First Mountain, the one we climb looking for success. The one we climb that is about us.

We all strive to climb this mountain, I certainly did.

But then you start to gain these things and realise that the happiness is fleeting. It only lasts for a small moment compared to the effort that it consumed to earn it. Then the cycle starts all over again. This is also referred to as the Hedonic Treadmill, a theory positing that people repeatedly return to their baseline level of happiness, regardless of what happens to them.

This leaves us just wanting for the next accolade or title or status. Around and around.

What I have come to learn is that success isn’t an endpoint, it’s a journey. And just because I know it doesn’t mean I have it figured out, I still struggle as much as everyone with the balance.

A goal is an endpoint, and is still extremely useful, but it just can’t be the deciding factor on our happiness or success. The result of that goal is but a tiny part of the journey. Success is about the person you become while striving for your goals. This is why our motto is “Pursue your potential” instead of “Reach your potential” Reaching it is unattainable but the pursuit, that’s the magic.

So what can we actually do about it?

We can start by elevating the conversations that we have about success into one of process instead of achievement. Also, noticing how crippling comparison can be for our mindset. Everyone is on their own journey and those journey’s can not be compared. Sure you can look over the scrub every now and then for inspiration or a navigational check but that’s it. Stay on your path and blaze the trail.

Traveller, your footprints

Are the path and nothing more;

Traveller, there is no path,

The path is made by walking.

By walking the path is made

And when you look back

You’ll see a road

Never to be trodden again.

Antonio Machado

Ask yourself often;

“Are the traits I displayed today the ones that my most successful self would display?”

“Are my thoughts and actions today in line with my goals?”

These are the questions for success, not if you achieved a supplementary goal in 5 years time.

 

Pursue your potential

Dice