44: Defining Success And Getting Our Priorities Straight

Defining success is difficult. It's like trying to analyze how far we've come by comparing miles to kilometers or tiny, baby footsteps–everyone's measuring stick is different, which is why we simply can't compare our successes to others. As tempting as it may be. For us, definitions of success vary day-to-day. Some days we're thinking big picture and looking at the long-term, and other days we just want to make it through the meeting or task at hand. A one-size-fits-all definition of success isn't realistic. Sure, it would be a lot easier to measure success by a standardized parameter, like revenue or company growth. But it's a lot more complicated than that–and requires some soul searching. (Okay, a lot of soul searching.) How can we determine what success means to us, specifically? And once we've written it out, how can we align our professional and personal lives with that definition?