Degrees of Success

A funny thing happened on the way to the forum....so I'm writing a magazine cover story about successful people in a variety of industries - CEO's, news anchors, internet gurus, you name it; one of the many joys I experience in the writing process is getting to learn from all of them first-hand. Interestingly enough they've made tremendous strides in their careers and guess what? None of them could define a turning point in their career where they felt like they've "made it.' Essentially, they still feel like there's a lot to accomplish, there's still so much more to learn.

Actually this isn't so surprising after all. By speaking with them this past week I realized they're all very similar regardless of their specific occupation; they're passionate, ambitious, and driven. Motivated and on top of their game, they're constantly raising the bar that much higher.

Fast forward to a Goddess Day I attended by volunteering with professional women to conduct career workshops for teen girls. In our groups we talked about being successful and if it's a myth or reality: does success equate to making a lot of money? Does success equate to happiness and that said, how do you define happiness? As the teens spoke their minds about their definitions of success they raised a good point: it depends on your goals. If you want to earn a lot of money then sure, if you're a millionaire you're successful in those terms. But how about success in terms of helping people? If you make a positive impact in society, then yes that would apply, too. Are the two mutually exclusive -- can you be happy but not successful? Can you be successful but not happy? Methinks yes and yes! In another example, what if you've made a lot of money and you're good at what you do - are you always a success? For instance, what if someone runs a lucrative underground gambling ring? Sure, they may be wealthy but are they truly successful? If you're unethical in my eyes, well, not so much.

While Webster's defines success as achieving a desirable or favored outcome, it also refers to an "attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence." While that's the bookish definition, your personal definition could certainly evolve over time and across a variety of situations. That's the beauty of it I suppose. After all, it could also resonate in other factors of our lives that aren't work-related such as being successful in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, creating an effective work/life balance, and at the end of the day, feeling fulfilled.