Email: What’s success for you? (UK)
How often have we thought about what success means to us? Internalised a vague idea of success – a decent job with good money and material comforts, a nice house with a beautiful garden, so on. So that’s what I decided to do, to live happily ever after. How could there be anything wrong with this plan? Who wouldn’t want these nice things?
Many years ago, studied at MBA school, MNC job, a house, luxurious holidays, BMW 7, married, nurtured family, saved cash, waited for happiness to rain down on me.
Okay, happiness – I’m ready for you..! It didn’t. Wasn’t going as planned, confused. Did all the ‘right’ things, why wasn’t I feeling better? Put extra efforts, pushed self further into an inescapable rut, sacrificed, exhausted, troubled, sick, over-worked, unhappy.
Because I wasn’t living my life. Was living others’ ideas of how I should live my life.
That’s a big difference. As young ones, don’t question stuff because it’s normal as defined by family, friends, community, culture. Whether explicit or how we see people, we learn usual expectations of our world. We simply follow – go to school, good grades, chores, work, marry. Do what’s told – to be accepted, loved, validated, rewarded.
A one-size-fits-all toward a perceived idea of success. That’s the problem. One size doesn’t fit all. Each one of us has a different destiny, passion, aspiration, expectation – story.
When old ways stop working, create our own definition of success. Success is not key to happiness. Happiness is key to success.
Explored what’s important, fulfilling and meaningful to me. Chose to live authentically, focus on what truly matters, whilst being sensitive to others. Didn’t turn life upside down, but little shifts made a huge difference. Then, it was time to transform from a caterpillar into a butterfly.
Our intuitive wisdom illuminates the answers we seek. We feel it – a spark, fire, creativity, a plan, a burst of joy, enthusiasm – experience our truth, express self.
Our journey of self-discovery, leads to success. Sometimes, it appears the life we want is unattainable, out of reach. Not at all. We can balance our physical, material and emotional, non-material needs, by honest introspections. There’s a powerful driving force within us, which once unleashed can make any vision, dream or desire a reality. Brings immense growth, peace, challenge, hope and achievement. Believe, to begin.
Success is following one’s own journey, passion, purpose, inspiration – true calling.