It might sound like an easy and simple question with a clear answer, but it is actually not so simple.
Every time I ask this question, I get so many different answers, sometimes even from the same person. The reality is that the meaning of success for each of us is always changing, as we change through life, as we evolve and mature that meaning of success changes with us.
Maybe this is obvious for you reading right now, and this blog post is just the result of a personal realization I felt like sharing. But looking back to my 20’s realizing what success meant for me back then; the amount of fun I was having, how much was I learning, WORK!! of course my professional growth, and INCOME would take more than 80% of that meaning ..
I realize now that the younger you are the less aware you are about what is really important for you, and it is not because you are immature or shallow, it is simply because you are giving for granted the things that matter the most; since you are young you most likely have good health, you feel loved by your family, friends or partner, you are surrounded by fun, learning, exploration, growth, etc. But as you grow old, or when one of these priorities are missing you start being much more aware of what matters the most to you.
And again, there is no right or wrong answer for what success means to you right now, whatever that is for you right now, it is fine! So feel happy, confident and in peace with whatever you are at right now, whatever you think makes you successful; it is fair, it is right and it is correct as long as it makes you happy and fulfilled. And the best part is, that it will evolve and change as you evolve and change through life!
The reason why I write about this, is not to question you, or share the “right” or “wrong” answer to that question.
The reason why I share this questioning is because doing this introspection (around every 5 years) has helped me stayed tuned with who I am, what makes me truly happy, brings me peace and what I want in life. It has given me a clearer perspective when taking important decisions in my personal and professional life.
Now, I wish sharing this might help someone that might be going through a crisis or questioning their own success. (maybe an early middle life crisis? haha).
Hope you feel successful no matter how old you are, where you are in life, what you do for work, I hope you feel satisfied otherwise I hope you are able to “pivot” your decisions towards something that makes you feel successful for YOUrself.
Remember:
“When people think about traveling to the past, they worry about the possibility of accidentally changing the present, but almost nobody thinks that in the present they can radically change the future” – unknown
Your present is radically changing your future.
So you better be doing something about it.
Alex
ps. < you can listen to my podcast episode of success >
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The Yogi Coder 