How do you define success?

by Steve ----Bookmark on del.icio.us----

After reading Paul’s post at Homeowners Blog. I asked myself the question – how do I define success? Here is my answer:   
 

  • Success means knowing I do the right things for the right reasons. 
  • Success means not compromising integrity. 
  • Success means I share with those who need my help. 
  • Success means I give my time to my family. 
  • Success means providing value to others. 
  • Success means living up to my commitments. 
  • Success means building a community – not a network. 
  • Success means looking in the mirror and liking what you see. 

Notice how money and title isn’t in my definition? Title means nothing to me.

I believe money is the by-product of living a successful life – not the measure.

I want to know your definition of success. Go ahead and post it in comments.



31 Responses to “How do you define success?”

  1. robynmc Says:

    Mike, your success list shows me that your main thrust in personal freedom is more about others and learning to care for them than it is about you. Here’s one that is very important since it allows you to freedom to give others the very best of who you are. It is:

    Success means developing my gifts and talents to that both I and others around me enjoy them.

  2. Steve Says:

    Good Point
    -Steve

  3. matthew saul Says:

    Wow this post is way too idealistic for my tastes. I believe success is 1% inspiration, 9% perspiration, and 90% people’s response to your 10%. You can be really good at what you do but if no one notices, it’s not worth much.

  4. Paul Says:

    In response to matthew saul, integrity is about being consistent no matter if anyone notices.

  5. Raj Says:

    Matthew,

    So if 90% say ‘kill’, you would do that with your 10%? That means you got no integrity.

  6. Julian Says:

    Succes means finding out what the purpose is of this life you’re in and then fulfill that purpose.

  7. Cugo Says:

    I agree so absolutely with you. I am absolutely mystified that anyone would actually think a fat wallet and a flashy car made them a ’success’. Success is taking the time to make the world a little better for having you in it. I’ve aced exams and earned pretty good money. If that was what defined me as a *success*I’d throw myself of a cliff. My personal requirement for being a ’success’ involves kindness and consideration, and having people know and respect me for that. What’s really interesting tho’ is that when I say ‘Oh I’m a clerk’ or whatever instead of what I really do to the type of person who considers themselves a ‘winner’, they flat ignore me and push on in search of more successful people to hang out with. I often do this on purpose to separate the chaff from the wheat.

  8. Kish Says:

    Of course traditional success is important to, provided these goals are kept in mind. Many of the most generous, giving, and “successful” people I have met also have been good stewards, and therefor are doing well financially. I think it is really about balance. If you mix financial responsability and planning with being loving and generous you can help alot more people than had you just been loving and generous.

    The downside of course being that, while money isn’t inherantly evil, it is a major temptation. Like I said, I really think balance is the key.

    That is my goal in life, what I consider success for myself. Loving family and friend, financially secure enough to be able to truly enjoy them, and to have the means to make a difference as well.

  9. Marc Says:

    Success for you may not necessarily be success for you, thats for starters. Success for me is finding what are my talents; what I love doing and feel passionate about and actually excelling in it an living it (making it a reality).

  10. Cristine Says:

    To be able to experience death not as a “grim reaper”, but rather as a welcomed sleep after a good, long day.

  11. Richard L. Pineda Says:

    For me success is the product of hardwork, commitment, and continuous improvement of the things you enjoy doing under the guidance of our Lord. It may be in the form of material things or even the simple smile that a person can bring to others, that makes the world a better place to live in.

  12. Armand Says:

    As Cugo said: “Success is taking the time to make the world a little better for having you in it.”

    Couldn’t agree more with this.

  13. Gourav Sethi Says:

    hello,
    Accroding to me “SUCCESS is a journey Not a Destination”

    Remember this important thing. Success is a journey. It has multiple peaks and not one ultimate pinnacle. One success builds on another. Setbacks and mistake will also help you build success. At different periods of your life, success is defined differently.

    Gourav Sethi

  14. aniket Says:

    wow what’s a line

    “Success is a journy not a destination ”

    i like ur lines gourav
    you r saying right

  15. Hunjin Park Says:

    “Success” is when one masters all of their talents given to them by God at birth. Also, to use these special talents to help and support those in need. I also believe that you have reached success when you create a life where there is actually a meaning to living and worry is not necessary at any time.

    Ur Welcome :D

  16. jitendra Says:

    ‘’success is not in never falling,It is in how high u bounce after hitting the rock bottom”

  17. Sarah Says:

    Success is being happy with who you are, what career choices you choose and with life. If you are not extatic about life itself and cannot wait to come home from work, you have not reached success and if you are doing what people are telling you to do then you are not showing your true self. If you do not stand out from everyone else, then why be yourself? Success is about being happy. money and everything after that doesnt matter.

  18. nitesh Says:

    success is ” achieving all the set goals one had in life and then having people on one’s side to recognize it “.

  19. Chaos Raident Says:

    Success is not defined by mammon, prestige, position, material possessions and glory. It is determined by your wealth in character..

  20. Claudwyn Says:

    I want to say yes i agree with wat is posted about what is success, but can some tell me, is success defined by money made or by one’s education??

  21. Ravinder Says:

    My Friends

    I believe TRULY, ‘thoughts are things,’ and powerful things at that, when they are mixed with definiteness of purpose, persistence, and a BURNING DESIRE for their translation into other OBJECTS (like richness, money family, education, friends …etc.etc.). Then we measure it as “Success”

    Ur Friend,
    Ravinder

  22. karishma Says:

    for me success is belief, action to live upto my commitments

  23. karishma Says:

    FOR ME SUCCESS IS PUTTING BELIEF INTO ACTION TO ACHIEVE IT!!ITS A NEVER ENDING PROCESS

  24. shirin farooq Says:

    SUCCESS IS TO BE AND NOT TO BECOME

  25. Ravinder Says:

    karishma, ….. Before putting into Action, you have to have a Desire or a thought. Once you achieve your desire with definite thought and action then you move further for next Desire and “Desire always stays one step ahead“ that is why it is a never ending process

    Ravinder

  26. nona Says:

    yho thanks very much for your definitions, for me i always thought sucess is about money but now u have opened my eyes.

  27. Sumitra Chowdhury Says:

    Success according to me is “having the freedom to choose a career and lifestyle of one’s own choice”.

  28. marc marc Says:

    “success means how people will treat you back” it is not what you got but it’s what you made of what you’ve got..

  29. Diane Scott Says:

    Success is having a thread like this on your blog :)

  30. chu huong Says:

    as to me success means fulfilling what you set for your life and making your living meaningful
    success is defined by many things but personally i think your self satisfaction is the thing to determine your success

  31. Aniket Says:

    Success has to be a chain of successes, its something when ur wishes start coming true.

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