Re-Evaluate Your Definition of Success

Most individuals pursue monetary acquisition yet remain unfulfilled. Each day we hurry through life trying to match the fleeting ‘Jones’, then validate our success based on the money we collect. The next part of this evaluation process is that success is ranked better when a person’s income is higher than the other members of their community. The problem with this system is that individuals feel incomplete consistently. This cycle affects a lot of individuals in all income levels. As a financial professional, I know this is a large-scale issue because I hear it from clients. They express this in our money disclosure conversations.I recognize this mindset because I used to chase an income as my primary factor to demonstrate my value, but I was also miserable. Many of my friends are still doing everything to earn lots of money, yet they are fatigued, discontented and performing work they do not enjoy. Living this way, feels like your spending time trying to fit in a place that’s not for you. Every day I felt that I was doing the wrong thing with my life. I knew I was meant to do something different. Each day I didn’t look for what I felt was calling me I felt that my soul was fading. My other difficulty was that I felt that I had worked too long to reach my current level of success to walk away from it.Most people feel stuck in their work because of the economy’s shape, but I disagree. Although I do not advise you leap quitting your job, I do believe you always have choices. I suggest the first change toward a better life is a mind shift from mainly reacting to life as it comes to proactively moving forward through life. The key question to ask is what actions you are taking to be happy in your life if you are unhappy. It can be a small step, but it is an important that you start now.Below are several steps to help you customize your criteria for success.• Clearly define success for your life: There are two standard definitions for the word success. As you read the terms, decide which definition suits your personal taste. Although most of the world uses significant financial gain as the chief factor in rating success, you can determine what metrics make a successful life for you.• Create a list to acknowledge your current success: This may take some time, but I believe you will be pleased to sit with this exercise until you list fifty ways you are successful now in your life, and some will not have anything to do with money.• Improve or strengthen your personal finances: Financial security builds our confidence and supports our steps toward making major changes in our lives. If you are unhappy with your life currently, it is imperative to strengthen or gain control of your personal finances. Accomplishing this objective enables individuals to understand their resources and identify opportunities that will move in the direction they want to live safely.Consciously defining success for you will have a positive effect on your life. You are much more than the money you earn, you are a creative being who is here to contribute in your unique way. Your responsibility is to discover what you are meant to do with your life and to make the necessary changes to live your purpose and your definition of success.