What Is Success?
March 23rd, 2009 | by admin
Our Question of the Week, this week is one that I have been grappling with recently. As my business went live 3 months ago people have been asking me “how’s it going?” And there are many answers to that question. Sometimes at the core of the question is either “is it a success,” or “do you think it will be a success?”
In some ways I feel it is very successful already. And there are times when I doubt if it will ever be enough of a success to keep myself and others employed long-term. So what is success? How do you define it?
If success is measured in dollars and cents, then no my business is not a great success, yet. But is that the only definition that should be placed on a business for it being successful? Here are some of the ways that I feel this business is already successful.
I am writing regularly for the first time since college. Success
Young women are turning to me for advice and to learn more about what I’m doing. Success
Others in my field are reaching out to me to see if we can work together. Success
I have a number of recruiters (one of my audiences) following me on Twitter. Success
Our first Question of the Week, last week fomented a vibrant discussion. Success
I really love what I’m doing for the first time in a long time. Success
I was able to go to the park and the children’s muesum with my daughter last week during the business day. Success
So how do you define success? Is it purely financial? Is it staying true to and accomplishing your mission statement? or is it much more esoteric…being happy and healthy? We look forward to hearing from you.
One participant will be chosen at random to win a coffee gift card for Starbucks, or Dunkin’ Donuts or your favorite coffee place provided it sells gift cards online or over the phone.
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The desire to have more flexibility at work and achieve a symbiotic relationship with work, life and interests is clearly more of a hot topic than the definition of success. Which is good, considering this site is more about flexibility in the workplace than defining success. So I guess I’m on the right track. Congratulations once again to Stephanie R for being this week’s winner. (it was either her or me and I thought picking me would have looked rigged…good intuition.)
2 Comments
Success is doing something you enjoy, doing it well (or at least not being challenged and frustrated by it), and hopefully making a positive impact on someone or something.
I think it’s important to have financial comfort to enjoy success, but I don’t think a high salary is the key to success.
On a tangent, I think it’s interesting that one thing you list as a success is that young women are turning to you for advice, but what about the young (and old) men? I know from speaking with you that this is important to you. True, there are some men out there who are interested in flexibility and balance, but it’s still not a typical career concern for most men. Hmmmm.
Stephanie –
Yeah – it’s interesting…I’ve certainly had lots of good conversations with men. And lots of my contemporaries (30 and 40 something Dads) have weighed in – but those that seek me out thus far have been young women. But notably NOT mommies – which is the audience everyone thinks is my main audience. The success with young women has been easier than I would have thought…I think it’s telling that there is a groundswell for flexibility at work among them.