Have you taken the time recently to reflect on your definition of success? Most people would agree that “success” means different things to different people. To one person, their ultimate goal is to climb their career ladder. To another, it might be optimal fitness or a mutually nurturing relationship. Whatever the case, a bit of personal development usually can help us get there.
I love personal development as much as the next person, but there are times when pursuing personal growth can be toxic in measuring true success. Yet measuring success can be essential in your quest for a happy, balanced lifestyle.
Measuring success at the workplace or home can help you determine if you’re heading in the right direction or should try a different approach. It can also indicate whether you’re reaching your short- and long-term goals.
Then, anytime you feel you’re not getting closer to your goals, you can take a step back and readjust.
Many experts have implemented several ways to measure success that can work for most people.
However, this article discusses five ways to measure the success that you already have in your life.
Check it out.
7 Clues that You Are Successful Right Now:
- You Believe in Yourself
Do you realize how difficult it is to believe in yourself? You deserve a pat on the back if you have reached this milestone! Self-confidence doesn’t come easy or overnight. It is a skill that you learn and develop over time. When you strongly believe in yourself, you don’t have to live according to other people’s values to please them, fit in, or be accepted. With this belief, you enjoy inner peace and high self-esteem. You can live each day with gratitude while trying to be the best version of yourself, which is one of the highest measures of success.
2. You Are Better Than Before
Think about your level of learning and growth five years ago, last year, and the previous month. Do you notice the line moving upward? You can see continuous learning and development, even in small increments.
You’ve also gained practical experience by putting your ideas to work. Some of these experiences were successful; others were not. You have learned that failure is part of the journey and the process. You are better than you were before.
3. You Found Your Version of Inner Peace
Inner peace is a state of mental, spiritual, and physical calm amid a busy, chaotic world. It has much to do with gratitude, contentment, and living in the present moment. Although inner peace looks different for different people, it is a state of being we strive for. It doesn’t mean that your life is worry or problem-free. It means that you have intentionally downregulated the drama, embraced a spiritual practice, managed stress, and “think happy thoughts” (most of the time). If you have managed to do that, you are way more successful than you think.
4. You Have Great Relationships
We all want to love and be loved at work or in our personal lives. It’s human nature and a goal worth achieving. If you have it, it makes you successful.
One of the best ways to measure your success is by the company you keep. You are successful if you are smart enough to surround yourself with people who lift you, inspire you to do better, and help you focus on what’s suitable for you. Oh, and these people love you too.
5. You Have a Balanced Life
Nothing hits like a balanced life. Notice I didn’t say a perfect life. There are many ways to find balance in your life. When you have a balanced life, you focus on different areas: fitness and wellness, work, relationships, emotional and mental health, spirituality, stress management, and personal growth. It doesn’t mean you are batting a hundred in every area. It means you know each area’s importance and work on them. An unbalanced lifestyle might look like a person pursuing their work enthusiastically while ignoring their family or health. A balanced version of this would be someone who spends much time at work but still makes time for loved ones without bringing their phone to the dinner table. If you are working towards balance, that is a marker of success.
6. You Have a Plan (for almost everything)
Boy, don’t you love it when a plan comes together? If you have a plan that you are working on to make your dreams a reality, then you have joined the ranks of the successful. Success is not just about reaching your goals; it’s more about having a road map. Those itty bitty daily steps change you into a better version of yourself. The fact that you’ve created a framework you follow makes you pretty darn successful. Why? Because most people don’t have a plan.
7. You Are Honest and Trustworthy
Why is being honest and trustworthy a sign of success? Because it is a rare trait. Unfortunately, high morale character is becoming more and more obsolete. We live in a world that rewards people for being something they are not. People are busy one-upping each other or exaggerating success to create a public image. Not to mention constantly competing, gossiping, and backbiting to level the playing field. All in a desperate attempt to appear a certain way. When honest and trustworthy, you stick out like a sore thumb, and people can sense it.
Successful people know who they are and don’t pretend to be something they are not. They tend to keep their word and try not to disappoint you. They are consistent and generally well-liked.
They are successful.
Final Thoughts
It’s relatively easy to be self-critical and blind to the success you have achieved in life. It’s mainly because, as humans, we have a terrible habit of comparing ourselves to the status quo and feeling as though we are not measuring up. Most of us have lived through times when we may have thought we should be further along than we are. It is human primarily to feel this way. If you struggle to see yourself honestly, this article is for you. Like many of us, you are probably way more successful than you’ve given yourself credit for.
I’m cheering for you!
Be well + prosper,
Elaine xx