How to Define What Success Looks Like

How to Define What Success Looks Like for Yourself

All high-achievers need to define what success looks like in order to actually be successful. The most common measures of success include money, status and ticking the life goals checklist (education, house etc.) But what if you haven’t defined what success looks like for yourself? Will you still be able to achieve the goals you set?

In this post I’m going to explore some of the ways you can define success for yourself so that you can achieve your goals whilst viewing your progress. I’ll offer simple strategies and tips that can help you get started.

Why do you need to define success?

Let’s go back in time for a moment. Your early years pave the way for what you think and believe. You then grow older and have life experiences that often contradict those beliefs. At this point, you may be confused and frustrated with life and where you’re heading. This is why you need to define what success looks like.

Each person has their own view of success and what it will bring. The opportunity for financial freedom is something many high-achievers strive for but are rarely satisfied when they achieve it. This happens because success was defined as a number without outcomes. You need clear outcomes for your success so that it’s measurable and therefore tangible. Moving the goalposts of your goals is fine but knowing why you’re working towards that success is essential to be successful. 

5 ways to define what success looks like for you

Use the following points to guide you towards defining what success looks like for you. Top tip: Always write out the answers, especially somewhere close to the goal you’re working towards. This way you are reminding yourself what you’re measuring as a whole, not just the final destination.

1. Establish why

You have to work through why you are working towards a goal as this will be your motivator. Defining success starts here so spend a good amount of time really establishing why the goal is important to you.

2. Define outcomes

Put together clear outcomes that help you measure your success. For example, if your goal is to buy a house within the next 2 years, write a list of what will happen when you buy the house. Will you be able to host dinner parties? Are you looking forward to designing each room? Will there be more space for your office?

Clear outcomes will help you know when you are achieving your success especially as there may be smaller goals to achieve before the final destination. So for a house, saving a deposit is a goal. The more you save, the bigger the property and the less you spend on a mortgage. That leaves you with more disposable income to spend on buying that Bang and Olufsen sound system. 

3. Be grateful (don’t roll your eyes!)

If you haven’t established a gratitude practice, you will never be successful at anything, let alone big goals. You have to have an attitude of gratitude especially when you want more from your life. At each step of your success journey, you must be grateful for what you have, what you’ve achieved and what’s to come. Without gratitude, you will not be fulfilled when you reach your destination and then you’re likely to phone me 🙂

4. Let go

Once you’ve established why you want a particular goal, you’ve defined the outcomes and you’ve cultivated your attitude of gratitude, you must let go. This means just get on and do what you need to do in order to achieve your success. Try to not be distracted and just pay attention to your actions so that they are aligned towards your goals. If you hold on too tightly to the outcomes, you won’t see when you’ve achieved them. You also won’t allow space for flexibility which undoubtedly will need to be a core component of your journey. Remember, if achieving success was easy, we’d all be doing it!

5. Discipline

This might just be my word of 2022, discipline. Without discipline you won’t be able to define what success looks like to you. In order to be successful, achieve goals and pay attention to your outcomes, you have to be disciplined. This means to focus on your path without distraction. It means to align your actions towards your goals. For instance, if you want to get a promotion at work, you will do what it takes to achieve it. This might mean for-going a few night’s out so that you can focus on a project. If you’re disciplined, you’ll achieve your goal faster and better.

If you’d like some help defining what success looks like for you, then I’d like to invite you to have a 1 hour – totally free – coaching experience with me. In that hour, I will show you exactly how you’ll be able to have what you want. Book in a call with me today.

I’m Puja, a transformational coach on a mission to help high-achieving women lead, succeed and thrive, without burnout.

Through a powerful blend of ancient wisdom and modern psychology, I help ambitious women break free from over-functioning and step into a successful and fulfilling life that feels as good as it looks.

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