One of the things that comes up as we travel a spiritual path is how we define success. A successful life isn’t a goal on its own.
For most of us, a successful life is made up of individual dreams, living our values, aligning with our priorities, and then having goals that are achieved. We have a feeling of personal happiness in these achievements and blessings. While having a successful life can seem vague and difficult to plan out or work towards, there are some things you can do right now to begin moving toward a successful life.
One that meets your definition of success, not one that someone else told you to use.
1. Learn about yourself
People focus so much on external factors and other people that they often forget about themselves. Take time throughout your life to learn about yourself, what makes you happy, what motivates and inspires you, and what makes you feel good. These things may change over time, so schedule some time to review these questions. Maybe at the beginning of the year or the beginning of a season, to help you remember to do it.
Don’t know the answers? No worries. Lots of folks don’t. Grab a journal and sit with these questions to discover your answers.
Watch out for what I call the “shoulds”. Those are all those things you were told you “should” do. Take an inventory of the things you’re currently doing. Are they things you really want to be doing, or are they things you’ve been told you “should” do?
Most of us get a lot of messages throughout our lives about what we should want, what we should be, and what we should do.
Pro Tip: Take time right now to develop your own definition of success. What does success mean to you? You might be surprised to find out that what society calls success doesn’t hold the same meaning for you.
2. Be kind
Being kind to others will get you a long way in life. People will think of you as a kind and genuine person, and more people will want to spend time with you. Be slow to judge and quick to help people when they need it. Think of how you would like others to treat you. You don’t know what someone else might be dealing with. Be kind, always.
3. Discover your goals
When you’re learning more about yourself, you should take the time to learn about your goals and what you want out of life. These will change as you go through life, possibly in ways you never thought to imagine before, but keeping an eye on your goals and your focus can help you.
If you don’t know what these are, now’s the perfect time to figure it out. Are you where you want to be? Are you doing what you want to be doing?
Pro tip: Write down your goals. Start with the end in mind and work backwards to see what your next step is to achieving what you want. Keep this handy, or recruit someone to be your accountability partner so you stay on track.
4. Don’t compare yourself to others
Comparing yourself to others is never helpful. You aren’t other people; you are yourself. You feel differently than other people, you experience things differently, and you have different connections, skills, and life experiences. If you spend your life comparing it to others, you’ll never feel successful.
Pro tip: There is no one-size-fits-all path to living a successful life. There’s no one definition of success that fits everyone. Your journey is your own. Embrace that.
5. Take opportunities when you can
You will probably regret opportunities you turned down more than you’ll regret the opportunities you took, even if later on you find out they didn’t work for you. Most of the time, there is no harm in taking an opportunity when it arises. This can lead you to even more experiences and opportunities and can enhance your success.
Pro tip: Say yes to things that feel aligned with your goals and spirit. Be sure to set clear boundaries and say no to things that don’t feel aligned, so you’ll be able to say yes to the things that do!
6. Work hard and play hard
It’s important to find balance in life. Success won’t come from your career alone, and it won’t come from material things alone. It may not come from them at all, depending on your personal definition of success. Work hard, but balance it with relaxation time so that you maintain your health and well-being and don’t experience burnout. Spend time with the people you love. Find your hobbies and enjoy them.
Pro tip: Practice radical self-care to be sure there’s something left in the tank. You can’t do for others if you don’t do for yourself. Even if your time is limited, try taking a walk, practicing gratitude, eating clean food, or even soaking in the tub. Figure out what works for you, and then do it.
Summary of a Successful Life
There’s no one way of creating a successful life. That fact may feel overwhelming at first. But let it spark curiosity in you. Explore the possibilities. Consider what lights you up, what gives you a fire in your belly and what makes your soul sing. These are clues to what your personal definition of success is. Allow that to become the focus. Everything you do will move you closer to that definition you’ve set for your successful life.
Blessed be.
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Karen
