How you define success for yourself? Most people don’t actually know. They know what society tells them is success, what it will take for their friends and family to consider them successful, but they have no idea what will make them feel successful. Which is why so few people feel fulfilled.
Something happened at the founding of the United States that shifted the value system of the planet over time. Early in our history, the pinnacle of success was defined as profit. For a time, the rest of the world just watched; now, though, this idea has infected every major system in the world. What if we defined success as something else? What if we defined success by the quality of life of the poorest of our members, rather than our richest? What if we defined success by the robustness of our population? What if we defined success as the solving or problems and challenges? What if we defined success as every person doing something that involved their passion? We have gotten so money-focused that most people don’t even know what their passion is; they have become so confused by the programming of our society, they no longer hear their heartsong.
If you can redefine the meaning of success for yourself, it starts to radiate outward, and we can ‘infect’ the world with a new, healing virus.
Success should take into account your values. Are you asked to violate your personal ethics on a regular basis? You’re not going to feel good about what you’re doing, even if you make all of the money in the world. Does your job make a real difference in the world in a positive sense? Does it make you feel like you’re accomplishing something? You’re much more likely to experience a sense of success.
What makes your heart sing? What are you really good at? What skills do you have that amaze people? What comes easy to you? These things all speak to your purpose and should be utilized on a regular basis in order for you to feel fulfilled.
And what are your small successes that happen on a daily basis? Do you pay attention to them, note them, celebrate them? If energy follows focus, and it does, when we pay attention to something, we feed it. When we celebrate our successes, we honor our accomplishments, no matter how small, and we increase the possibility for more success. If you don’t celebrate your victories, can you really expect others to?
How do you view the success of others? Are you happy for them, or envious (I want that for myself)? Or even jealous (if I can’t have that, no one can)? If you can carry the mindset of “when someone wins, everyone wins”, you will start to call more success into your life.
Consider making today’s mantra “I open myself to the awareness of every minor and major victory in my life, and I give myself permission to celebrate them all.”
This post is part of a new series called Monday Message, based on that day’s reflection from 365 Days to Enlightenment (authorized versions are currently out of print, working on a new edition). Check back next Monday for another one! You can also sign up for the Daily Message on my mailing list if you’d like to receive a new reflection every day. I also often post them to Instagram and Twitter, if either of those is a medium you enjoy.