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What is Success?
Posted on April 15th, 2009 20 comments
What is success?
Success can be very subjective. We get many meaning from many people.
Many people live a life of wishing and hoping for success, that things will turn out the way they want.
I know a guy that is amazingly bright and his whole life he had people to tell him he should start his own business. One rich businessman with money was ready to help him get started.
This guy would always say, he didn’t want a business because then he would have to make important choices. He thought about having to deal with the taxes, tax laws, people, accountants and paperwork. He didn’t want to risk much or take a chance.
He would decide to work for other people his entire life with very little regret. He does a good job for the people he works for and he is using his skills, abilities and talents. He could use more money and more stimulation from his job, but he settles for what he has.
Now, would you consider him successful?
In the true meaning of the word, sure you could say he’s successful. Success really means to reach a result. He made a choice and he arrived at the end result. That makes him a success.
The word choice is what separates the top achievers in this world.
If Michael Jordan had made the choice to not challenge himself to be a successful basketball player we would not know the Jordan name today. He was cut from his high school team. He could have made the choice then that he had reached a result and quit there.
Top achievers continue to challenge themselves to be at a high level of success (results) and do it at the best of their ability.
When death knocks for me and I look back over my life, I want to say, that I lived my life, all I could, with all I had, with all my ability.
How about you?
20 responses to “What is Success?”
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Lynn,
Awesome post about what defines “success.” You raise a really important point:
“The word choice is what separates the top achievers in this world.” If people don’t choose to move beyond their comfort zone, they have chosen to settle for less than their full potential.
Interest post to ponder!
Pam
Great Minds, Great Wealth: How to Raise your Return, Reduce your Risk, Cut your Cost -
I recently read the creator of the film “The Opus” said:
“True success is never measured by a personal bank statement or the toys parked in your garage. Success is best measured by the significant difference (John Ho’s note: I prefer the word “improvements” instead) you make in the lives of others.”
Trouble is the rich can accuse the poor of being a sour grape for their material success.
Money does not buy happiness but it does make sufferings more bearable!
John Ho
Numerology Expert Helps Understanding Personalities for Better Influence & Persuasion (WordPress www)
Numerology Expert Helps Understanding Personalities for Better Influence & Persuasion (Vox blog) -
The greatest story about “success” that I’ve ever heard, is the one Kevin Hogan tells about his book tour. You are right that success has different meanings to different people, but I liked that meaning the best! Must be my love of children.
Lisa McLellan, Child Care Expert – Babysitters, Nannies, and Au-pairs
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Me too. I don’t want to look back and regret NOT doing something.
This is great post that really made me think.
Thanks Lynn.
JJ Jalopy.
Life Coaching and Home Business Advice with JJ Jalopy -
It’s a fact that we do get to choose how successful we are and what we want tob be successful at. Listenting to the naysayers (nearly everyone) would suggest there is very little at we can succeed. So important to surround yourself with like minded, supoportive individuals.
Christian Haller
http://www.christianhalleronline.com -
I think that so long as your goals are your own you can be successful.
I have a theory that life is all about satisfaction. Easy to state, hard to achieve.
Philip
Consumer Behaviour Expert
[The Consumer Behaviour Research Resource] -
Good thought provoking post. success is so subjective to be sure. to my sister who lives off welfare, i’m a runaway success. to me, i’m successful but not to the degree i aspire since i’m always looking for that next mountain to climb. (or photograph)
Don Shepherd
oregon or bust -
Your example “settles” My definition of success does not include the word “settle.” My definition and goals are mine to make and judge without settling for anything less than what I believe I can be.
-Pat
Business Owners Fast Track to Internet Profits -
Your post and the comments prove that succes is at least slightly different for different people…but that at the least it is a concept that everyone should closely define for themelves. “The unexamined life is not worth living”
Sunnymarie
http://www.sunnymarie.wordpress.com -
Lynn,
Great post, made me think…..I don’t know as I ever factored in choice before. I know a guy who is a “successful” doctor: 20 years experience, owns his own practice, good at what he does, works as he choses, plays when he wants to, drives the car of his choice…… he is in danger of losing his clinic because his business skills are lacking.He is unclear on how a successful practitioner could arrive at such a place this late in the game, A result of his choices.
Interesting.
Thanks
JC JC
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I really like this post. It clearly defines success which is oddly unusual in the self-development field.
Our level of success is directly to how much we choose to challenge ourselves. This is an remarkable conclusion to a very inspiring post. Thank you Lynn.
All the best,
Yann -
I get adrenaline rushes stimulation by stretching my comfort zone to create NEW THINGS comfort zones, if that makes any sense.
When one has NOT been married, to BE married is outside of your comfort zone.
When singles are divorced, getting married AGAIN is both IN and OUTSIDE your comfort zone.
All the best,
April Braswell
Online Dating Sites Review, Internet Dating Sites Guide
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You always have a way of putting your point across very well. I really am filled when I read one of your posts. I do want to live a life like that and appreciate you putting that out there.
Mesha:) thanks alot. -
Great motivational post. Success could be as simple as taking care of your family and doing what you like. Who is to judge? Mark
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Success is as individual as we are so there is no standard definition. I had a friend who attended the Naval Academy with who became a lawyer after he left the navy. He hated it, so he quit and got a job on Wall Street as an investment banker and hated that even though he was making a lot of money and had all the outward trappings of success.
Last I talked to him, which was a few years ago he was driving a Fed Ex truck and had never been happier. We all need to find our own success.
Steve
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I like your description of what success is. Seems to me that anyone that has reached a status in life that they find satisfying and fulfilling is successful. Good post.
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Duane Cunningham April 16th, 2009 at 04:50
Hi Lynn,
Awesome Post!
I think that everyones definition of success is different but for me I remember being at a seminar and I heard the one that resonates with me the most!
“The definition of success is the pursuit of a worthwhile dream”
And for me thats what gets me jazzed about achieving
Duane
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All too often people equate success with how much money they made. Better measures are the relationships made, people helped spouse, etc.
I like to define success as getting up one more time than I was knocked down.
Bob Kaufer
Z Health For Life -
I think that the biggest problem with defining success is that there is no clear-cut objective that is given to us when we are born, it is up to each of us to figure out on our own.
To me, it is obvious that we are part of something much larger than ourselves. The universe didn’t randomly emerge from the void and organize itself into the complex world that we see around us.
The greatest philospohers and thinkers have wrestled with this question for millenia, and will continue to wrestle.
To me, the things that matter the most are relationships, experiences and knowledge. These are the only things that we will be taking with us if there is anything after this.
Seize the Day,
Rob
Sales Eagles Soar Above the Competition!
Personal Asset Protection For Small Business Owners -
Lynn,
This was a great post and I liked how simple you defined success. For myself I believe it’s the ability to take action and use your personal power.
Mitch
Smartphone Education
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Pam Schulz April 15th, 2009 at 15:32