What does success look like to you? Did you know there are two kinds of success? There’s stressed success, and there’s smart success. It’s a matter of having knots in your stomach versus butterflies in your stomach – being constantly stressed out and on edge versus being excited about the life you’re living. Today, we’re going to talk about the difference between the two, as well as how to go about achieving success on your terms and living your dream life!
Stressed Success v. SMART Success
I’m sure you know a few people that have accomplished stressed success. From the outside, their life looks amazing. They have all the money, the cars, and the toys, but they’re stressed beyond belief, their relationship is a mess, and their personal life is crumbling.
This is stressed success. Oftentimes, it comes as a result of chasing one goal after another without thinking about its consequences simply because society, family members, or peers defined it as “success.”
On the other hand, a person who has achieved smart success, is someone who is calm and at peace with their life, living according to their own definition of success and according to their own priorities.
Determine Your Destination
What kind of success do you want to have? What kind of life do you want to live? What does success look like to you? These are simple questions most people never take the time to answer. Thus, they end up wondering how they came to live a life that makes them so stressed out.
When a plane sets out for it’s destination, being off target by just a degree or two takes it miles off course. Small shifts can drastically alter the course of your life. Smart success doesn’t happen over night. And living your dream life isn’t an accident – it takes planning. It all begins by taking the time to establish your own definition of success and by making some small shifts that lead you in that direction.
Your Definition of Success
So, what’s your destination? What is YOUR definition of success? Use the following questions to define your own and plan for the life you want to design!
- What makes you feel successful?
- What kind of work do you want to do?
- What kind of people do you want to work with?
- How many hours per day or week do you want to work?
- What does your ideal schedule look like?
- How will this life honor your priorities?
- What do you believe is your life’s purpose?
Now, using your answers to these questions, take a moment to compose your own definition of what success looks like to you. When you establish this definition and a clear vision of what you want your life to look like, you can ensure that each decision you make is small shift leading you exactly where you want to go!
