How To Measure Success
How To Measure Success
When you think about success, what comes to mind? It seems like everyone is striving for this preset template of success without defining their own personal path of success. Once you’ve reached the “American Dream” will you be successful? Well, not everyone opted into the American Dream nor is that everyone’s dream. So striving to measure your success by someone else’s standards will undoubtably make you feel unsuccessful. Your success will not look like someone else’s and vice versa. So, how can you measure success?
I discovered this video about frugality and why some may feel the need to flaunt their wealth. Warren Buffett for example is wealthy but he does not flaunt it. This video discusses the correlation between wealth and “the temptation to let the world know how successful you are”. It seems like some of the wealthiest people know they have nothing to prove. So, why do you feel the need to let the world know how successful you are?
In each person’s personal pursuit of success, is there a limit or a threshold? Once you reach your definition of success does all ambition die? Jim Carrey has even acknowledged that success an insatiable desire. Once you reach a certain point you might feel like you need more but when is enough ever enough?
“We are encouraged to never stop and never be satisfied. It’s beyond our bandwidth and we’re starting to see symptoms. I have enough. I’ve done enough. I am enough.”
Jim Carrey
There is nothing wrong with striving for success but keep in mind that success is insatiable. Once you reach one milestone there is really no end. Contentment is the very opposite.
Regarding material things, I like to use the affordability versus justifiability analogy. Even if you can afford everything you wanted, is it justified? Would you still want those things if there was no way to show it off? We are a nation of people who just consume everything without regards about how it affects our future. A side effect of overconsumption is debt. We need to have a balanced view of consumerism because after all, there is nothing to prove. Your material belongings do not define your success or worth as a person.
Defining what success means is different for everyone. Technically you may be considered successful compared to yourself 5 or 10 years ago. Remember when you wanted what you currently have? Well you have it now. What’s next? Success doesn’t need to be compared because everyone has different backgrounds and circumstances. This should be taken into consideration.
“When you fall in love with the process rather than the product, you don’t have to wait to give yourself permission to be happy. A system can be successful in many different forms, not just the one you first envision.”
James Clear – Atomic Habits
Success is also volatile. Your perception or definition of what success looks like to you can change as you get older.
When I went on excursions in Europe there was an older gentleman on my tour. The tour consisted of trekking terrain that had lots of hills. He voiced his regret in not traveling earlier during his youth and acknowledged how his age impacts his ability to do certain things. This one example shows the importance of enjoying your life now, not putting off enjoying your life until retirement. Retirement is not guaranteed just as reaching the age to retirement is not guaranteed. You should strive to enjoy your life now. Maintain a healthy balance between what success means to you so that you’re not robbing yourself of living in the moment.
So, the key to measuring success is to acknowledge how far you’ve come and strive to continue to grow without the need to prove anything to anyone else. Also having gratitude towards yourself and your efforts over the years. Ultimately, you define your own success journey because you are in control of your life and you are in a league of your own.