What is success? According to economists and social scientists, success is the condition or state of meeting a certain set of external, measurable expectations. It can be thought of as the opposite of failure, in the sense that failure would be the reverse of success. The standards for success are relative to a given observer or belief system and depend on local context.
For some, success may mean having enough money to leave an important to family. For others, it may mean being able to buy the latest home computer, or having a big bank account. What is success to some may not be what another person would consider to be a success, especially if the observer is not sure how success is measured. If you feel like you have hit a roadblock along your journey to success, there are a number of questions you should ask yourself to help clarify your own sense of achievement.
One of the first questions to ask yourself is: what is success to me? Do you define success according to what you want to achieve, or do you base your achievements on what you currently possess? Sometimes it is possible to have both elements of success in the same event, such as when you purchase two similar but different cars. Your definition of success may be two different things, even if your cars are similar. The point is, when you set your goals, you need to specify what you are aiming for.
In addition, setting clear goals and defining them helps you keep focused on your goals. Unfortunately, many people engage in goal-setting without clearly identifying what they hope to get out of it, and there are some who never seem to achieve their goal. When setting your goals, think about what it means to you and how you want to experience those benefits. Define success in terms of these experiences, rather than what the perceived benefit might be.
Finally, if you want to define success, look at the world around you. What kinds of things are bringing you joy? Success may not be measured in terms of money, power, or other such “achievements,” but these things are important in creating a happy life. This does not mean that you have to trade these in for financial security and social acceptance; it does mean that you can live a happy life with less of all of these things and still be satisfied and successful.
You can be successful, no matter what your circle of friends and associates say! For some people, success is a result of the kind of success that others can only dream of; for other people, success is something that they always work toward, because it is their only real way of living a successful life. Do not be afraid of your dreams. Never be afraid of trying new things. If all else fails, just remember that it’s okay to fall behind, and you will find your way back up.