Success in YOU!

People see success in different ways. The official definition of success is the accomplishment of an aim or purpose.  What does that really mean? Seems kind of a vague concept really. That just means that there is no one set idea of what success looks like.  It is not set in stone like North will always be North and South will always be South.

What does success look like to you?

You define your success.   There is a saying that “that another man’s junk, is another man’s treasure.” Success is the same way; it is multifaceted in nature and looks different to different people. The first thing a lot of people think about is financial success and that can be ambiguous. Although you need to have money to survive, one person wants to be a millionaire while another deems financial success if their family has all their needs met. Others look at success as having a family, while others do not. Your definition of success is a deeply personal matter, and you cannot let anyone else define it for you. To find this deeper meaning a person needs to find their purpose.

How do you find your purpose?

The first thing you need to do is figure out what your passion is.  Is it working with the homeless, disabled veterans, or trying to get rid of all the puppy mills? Talk with friends and family about what they see as your passion.  Write it down, put it on a sticky note, or even put it on your home screen on your phone. This step takes a lot of reflection and understanding who you really are.

Putting it all together

This all sounds easy right! It can be if you have a growth mindset. Being comfortable being uncomfortable will help. I never in my wild dream thought I would be pursuing a Doctoral degree from Drake University.  Since I found my passion for wanting to help others, I figured I needed to get out my comfort zone and learn how to be a researcher and evaluator so that I could help other veterans find solutions to their barriers in their transition to the civilian world.

Fearing failure will not help you find your purpose. Thomas Edison famously said, “I failed my way to success” when he was designing the filament for the light bulb. Meaning you must make mistakes on the way to achieve the greater you.  He found 100 ways not to make a light bulb, but eventually got it right.

Conclusion

Success is a personal concept that each person can only define themselves.  Friends, parents, coworkers cannot define what success is for you! Embracing a growth mindset cannot be understated.  Introspection is the key to finding what success means to you. It will not necessarily be an easy path, but all you have to do is be the turtle and not the hare!