How do you define success?

Week #9 - April 20, 2022

I hope you all enjoyed last week’s newsletter, which explored how we can redefine stress from something “bad” to something that can push us to make positive change. If we interpret stress in such a way, it no longer has to be debilitating; rather, it acts as an indicator that tells us something about our behaviour needs to change. I hope when each of you inevitably encounters stress, you can begin to reframe your interpretation such that stress invokes behaviour change rather than something needed to be minimized or reduced.

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about success and what it means in my life. Thinking back only a few years ago, I’m certain my definition of success today is very different than it was in the past. When you think about success, what does that look like to you? Does success include material possessions such as fancy cars, homes, or clothes, or does it include personal fulfillment? Or perhaps something else entirely? The topic of this week’s newsletter is to explore what success means and how it is defined for each of us.

The definition of success is something that’s very much individualized. What I may define as personal success could be wildly different than somebody else. For me, personal success includes financial security, fulfilment, happiness, and family and friends who love me and treat me with respect. Somebody else could be very different. They may view success as a status symbol, which includes material possessions associated with large amounts of money. To go even further, another person could view success as simply having a full-time job or owning their own home. Depending upon our life circumstances, we all can have different definitions of personal success.

Now that I have introduced this week’s concept, I want you to reflect upon how you define success. What does success look like to you? How do you define success? Is it what you expected? Are you perhaps needing to change how you define success? Do your values align with your definition of success? Are you currently experiencing success? If not, how can you be successful? How do you think your definition of success has changed over the years? Over the next week, I want you all to reflect on these questions and consider whether the life you’re living is truly successful. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!

Until next week,

Tyler

Twitter: tcmakepeace

Website: tylermakepeace.substack.com

Instagram: tyler_makepeace