Am I Successful?

BusinessDictionery.com defines success as:

Achievement of an action within a specified period of time or within a specified parameter. Success can also mean completing an objective or reaching a goal. Success can be expanded to encompass an entire project or be restricted to a single component of a project or task. It can be achieved within the workplace, or in an individual’s personal life. For example, if an individual’s personal goal is to be accepted in a new career, success would occur after the individual has been officially accepted into his or her new place of employment.

Although this definition is very acceptable, I know quite a few people who fit in it, but they don’t perceive themselves as successful. The thing is that if we don’t produce results in one or more important life areas there is a big probability that we will not perceive ourselves as successful. Success doesn’t have a single objective criteria. It has multiple dimensions and it is more about internal parameters and feelings than facts and results. There are many great people who have achieved amazing results and then were not able to handle it. Was the success to big or they didn’t have internal capacities to handle it? Success should always be connected with our own (internal) criteria. But it’s very difficult to recognize them in this fast paced world where people try to reach, more or less, the same goals. In order to recognize our own criteria, we need to step out of the Matrix.

 Morpheus: The Matrix is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now, in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work… when you go to church… when you pay your taxes. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth. 

Neo: What truth? 

Morpheus: That you are a slave, Neo. Like everyone else you were born into bondage. Into a prison that you cannot taste or see or touch. A prison for your mind. 

To find the real criteria we need to STOP and LOOK INSIDE. Nobody but us can set up real success criteria. Does it mean that we should give up external criteria? No! As long as we are aware of the real meaning behind them. Without it, we can get trapped in a rat race.

Real success is usually followed by generosity and gratefulness. Successful people usually don’t focus only on their own results, they are very interested in how these results will impact others. There is a strong inner alignment between achievement, capacities, values and vision. Between “impact on me” and “impact on others”.

If you want to grow your success just notice what are you grateful for. Share this feeling with people around you, support someone to grow in that particular life area, be generous to someone today. Do it now! Repeat this on a daily basis… and success will grow.