What is success?
Is it wealth? Is it happiness? Is it fame?
The late Zig Ziglar was one of the most respected modern day experts on success, motivation, and leading a balanced life. In his book Born to Win!, he argues that success cannot be defined in one sentence, but instead it is comprised of many things. One could argue that the definition depends on the individual and that one size does not fit all[1].
Here are 19 different definitions of success. Not all of these will resonate with you, but chances are at least a few of them will. Use these or find inspiration here to create your own definition of success that can be applied to your unique life.
1. Success is always doing your best.
Success can be achieved when you try your best in all aspects of everything you do, even if that doesn’t lead to big results. If you’ve done your best, you should feel proud of your efforts.
2. Success is setting concrete goals.
Be realistic and concrete when setting goals. Success does not come from setting abstract goals. If you know where you’re heading, that is a success in itself, even if you don’t ultimately arrive to the planned destination.
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If you aren’t sure how to set an effective goal, grab the free guide – The Dreamers’ Guide To Taking Action And Reaching Goals here. You will learn how to set and reach your goals with this step-by-step guide.
3. Success is having a place to call home.
Home is where your heart soars. You are always successful when you can call a place home. Home doesn’t have to be a specific structure. It can be a country, a city, or even a person. If you have a place you feel comfortable and safe, you’re already achieving something great.
4. Success is understanding the difference between need and want.
If you can meet your monthly obligations and fulfill your basic needs, you are successful. Being able to identify when you absolutely need something and when you can do without it often leads to financial stability and is a great way to succeed.
5. Success is believing you can.
If you believe you can, you will succeed. Self-belief doesn’t come naturally to everyone, so if you’re able to tell yourself that you can achieve the goals in your plans, you’re doing great.
When people don’t believe in you, you still need to work on your own confidence! Here’s how:
6. Success is remembering to balance work with passion.
Work without passion creates undue stress and empty achievements. Focus on what excites you. If you’re happy at your job, that’s great. However, even if you aren’t, you can balance your formal job with hobbies or volunteer work you’re passionate about.
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7. Success is taking care of your needs.
Remember to put on your own oxygen mask before assisting others. Self-care is essential if you want to have any meaningful impact on the world around you.
8. Success is learning that you sometimes have to say no.
Success only comes with a balanced life. Part of balance is learning to say no. Saying no doesn’t mean you are selfish; it simply means you have priorities and know what you need to give your attention to at any given time.
9. Success is knowing your life is filled with abundance.
Love, health, friends, family…life is filled with abundance. Recognizing this is an important step to feeling grateful for all life has given you. If you can feel this, you are already experiencing success.
10. Success is understanding you cannot keep what you don’t give away.
You will only succeed if you help others succeed. Learning to give instead of always take is part of creating a world we all want to live in. When you help others, you will also create an environment where others want to help you.
11. Success is overcoming fear.
Conquering a fear makes you feel invincible. Even if it’s confronting just one small fear each week, that is certainly something to feel proud of. The bigger fears will take more time, but any work you do to overcome fear will lead to success.
12. Success is learning something new each day.
Successful people understand that learning never stops. Take time each day to converse with someone with opposing views, read an interesting article on a topic you know little about, or watch a TED talk on new research. It doesn’t take long to learn, so get started now.
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13. Success is learning that losing a few battles can help you win a war.
Successful people choose their battles wisely. When you know which battles will ultimately help you achieve your goals, you will be successful.
14. Success is loving and being loved back.
Opening your heart to others is difficult and can produce fear. Having the courage to love and accept love from others is a step toward a fulfilling life and great success.
15. Success is standing your ground when you believe in something.
Successful people never give up on things they believe with all their heart. You may hold views that many people disagree with, but if you’ve done your research and know that it’s the right belief for you, you shouldn’t let it go without a fight.
16. Success is not giving up.
Perseverance creates grit, and grit achieves success. Even if it takes years to achieve a goal, persisting is key if you want success.
When you feel like giving up, remind yourself what you’re fighting for. As long as you have a strong “why” you will be able to persist. Don’t know if your “why” is strong enough? Join the free Fast-Track Class Activate Your Motivation. In this focused session, you will learn how to dive deep into your inner drive and build yourself a sustainable motivation engine. Join now for free!
17. Success is celebrating small victories.
Anytime a goal is reached or an obstacle is overcome, take time to celebrate, even if it’s something small. All goals require smaller objectives to be achieved first, so each time you complete one, take time to appreciate the work you put into it.
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18. Success is never letting a disability hold you back.
Disabilities do not define a person’s success. The body and mind will compensate. Just because you can’t do absolutely everything doesn’t mean you can’t do something. Do what your body and mind allow and always push yourself. That is true success.
19. Success is understanding that you control your destiny.
Your destiny is controlled by you and you alone. Take responsibility for your actions and their consequences and you’ll find that you naturally become more successful.
The Bottom Line
Success can be defined in many ways. If you are experiencing happiness, love, or adventure in this moment, you’ve already found success. Keep it up.
More Tips on Success
- 15 Inspiring Ideas to Boost Your Motivation forSuccess
- How To Be Successful In Life? 13 Tips From The Most Successful People
- 3 Keys to Success in Life (That Will Change You This Year)
Featured photo credit: Dino Reichmuth via unsplash.com
FAQs
What is the best definition of success? ›
"Success is the achievement of a desired goal, such as for obtaining name and fame or wealth or a higher degree, for which a person has tried his level best. It is the positive consequence of one's achievement."
How do you define success for yourself? ›Standards for success can be related to personal, social, spiritual, academic, or employment goals. Success can be defined for small, short-term goals, for overall life achievements, and for steps along the way. Self-determination—being able to make and act on important decisions in your life—is a measure of success.
What does success mean to you examples? ›"Success means to achieve a goal I have set for myself." "Success means to produce high quality work before the deadline." "Success to me is knowing that my contributions positively impacted my company." Long Answer. "Success to me means completing a task and when looking back, thinking I couldn't have done it better.
What is real success in life? ›According to real success, having happiness, satisfaction, and respect in life is called a (real) success and a person having all the above blessings is called a successful person.
What are the 3 keys to success? ›Irrespective of what “Success” means to each, what has been clearly understood that there are three key elements of success. They are - Clarity of Purpose, Growth Mindset, and Courage. Without purpose, it is hard to have a clear direction. It is important to know what you want and what you are striving for.
What are the five keys to success? ›...
Confidence
- attempting hard work independently.
- sharing a new idea with the class.
- taking a risk.
accomplishment, achievement, advance, benefit, boom, fame, gain, happiness, profit, progress, prosperity, realization, triumph, victory, win, arrival, ascendancy, attainment, clover, consummation.
Why success is important in life? ›Success provides confidence, security, a sense of well-being, the ability to contribute at a greater level, hope and leadership. Without success, you, the group, your company, your goals, dreams and even entire civilizations cease to survive.
What are 4 things that lead to success in life? ›- Be Passionate. And do what you for love. ...
- Work Hard. Don't ever fool yourself—success comes from really hard work. ...
- Be Good. And by that, I mean damn good. ...
- Focus. ...
- Push the Limits. ...
- Serve. ...
- Create Ideas. ...
- Be Persistent.
This is my take on the 7 P's and I believe through a focus on Purpose, Planning, Product, Pertinence, Power, Perception and People you can substantially contribute to your business success no matter if you are just starting out, a start-up or an established business, an entrepreneur, leader or contributor – the ...
What are the 6 habits of success? ›
- They Avoid Procrastination.
- They Have A Dedicated Workspace.
- They Get Enough Sleep.
- They Have a Learning Mindset.
- They Set Goals.
- They Eat Well and Stay Hydrated.
- They Practice Daily Self Care.
- A Successful Summary.
- Create a Support Network.
- Put in the Work.
- Stay Focused.
- Whatever success you're working towards, keep your focus on it. Remind yourself often of the success you want to achieve. ...
- Set Many Small Achievable Goals.
- Give Yourself a Break.
- Believe in Yourself.
- Get Back Up Again.
To achieve success you must strive very hard to meet your goals, and that requires big ideas and an indeterminate will to execute them. If you were to ask any successful person or motivational coach about how to achieve success, then their first piece of advice would most probably be to “think positively.”
What is the path to success? ›To gain advantage from the opportunities and to achieve the success we should follow some steps such as: a visualization of the future, keeping in sight our values, setting your goals, planning our actions, and overcoming obstacles. First of all, visualization of the future is a good tool to achieve success.
What is another key to success? ›Most people consider success as having a great career, wealth, and respect from peers. But, don't overlook goals that will support a happier life. Prioritizing relationships, physical health, safety, contributing to others, and creative expression have been shown to improve feelings of happiness.
What is a good success quote? ›"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm." "The secret of your success is determined by your daily agenda." "However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at." "Your positive action combined with positive thinking results in success."
What is the power of success? ›Everything we need to succeed is internal, within us. Our greatest power comes from understanding our purpose, hard work, courage, perseverance, an attitude of gratitude and the ability to tolerate pain, take risks, give and love unconditionally. If we can believe in ourselves, we can achieve anything.
What is the real secret to success? ›The real secret to success is consistency: Doing certain things every day that help move you forward in achieving your goals, which leads to the realization of your dreams. Self-made millionaires, according to my Rich Habits research, create consistency by adopting daily habits that are tied to their goals and dreams.
What are examples of personal success? ›For example, having a nice car, a beautiful home, and a fancy job title could be considered professional success. On the other hand, personal success may include the ability to travel, interpersonal relationships, friendships, and other factors that have little to do with professional success.
What success looks like examples? ›Hitting a specific amount in revenue, having a certain number of employees, owning a home, purchasing a dream car, having a certain amount of money in the bank, providing for their family, staying at only five-star hotels or even just accomplishing their big dream are just a few ways people define success.
What are the 4 P's of success? ›
To help you narrow your efforts, we have found that in order to be competitive you will need people, processes, production and progress. If you can master The Four P's of Success, you will be in a position to achieve your growth potential.
What are the 10 ways to be successful in life? ›- Don't lie in.
- Stick to your league.
- Keep up with trends.
- Eat more fish.
- Set goals.
- Get more money.
- Find the girl or guy of your dreams.
- Exercise during the week.
...
Dr. Siegel lists the six essential psychological characteristics of successful people:
- Optimism. ...
- Creativity. ...
- Resilience. ...
- Self-Control. ...
- Emotional Awareness. ...
- Sociability.