“What is Success?” calculated about 1,130,000,000 results in 0.42 seconds.
“What is success to you?” pulled 973,000,000 in 0.34 seconds. 
It appears that a lot of people are uncertain about success and what it means. Do you consider yourself successful? If you said yes, was your answer based on the amount of money you make? Or because of the house you live in, the clothes you wear, the places you vacation?
After seeing the search results, I decided to look up some of my mentors and role models to see what they had to say about it. I found a great article on Business Insider that included several of the people I was looking for. See if any of their definitions of success resonate with you.
Winston Churchill: “Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.”
Deepak Chopra: “Success in life could be defined as the continued expansion of happiness and the progressive realization of worthy goals.” From The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success.
Richard Branson: “The more you’re actively and practically engaged, the more successful you will feel.”
Maya Angelou: “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”
(To read the entire Business Insider article, click here.)
If you do not find something in the four examples of success, search more until you find something. But…the real definition will come from within you. So, look there first.
What is Success to You?
Here are three questions that you can ask yourself. Take some time to work through the process and get your heartfelt answers.
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What does success mean to you?
You have seen that many people are searching for this answer. But as we learned from some of the folks we took a closer look at, the answer has to be YOUR definition of success. What success means to you might be similar to some things you have read here, but it must have your spin on it. Your energy. You belief. Only you can answer the question. -
How will you know when you have it?
What will you feel like? Who will you share it with – notice, I said share it with. It is important that you realize that you are responsible for your success. It’s great to share it with someone, but do not make your success be dependent on anyone but you. -
Then what?
Once you have reached success or identified yourself as successful, then what? I personally know a person who set a goal to earn one million dollars. That was her measurement of being successful. She reached that financial goal within a few years but didn’t know where to go next. It took some regrouping, but she is continuing in her success and focusing on helping others reach their goals.
For me, and I suspect for you too, it’s not all about the money. Our dreams and desires are ours, period. When you get caught up in the visions of your friends, family, co-workers, or anyone else and leave your dreams and desires, you have given away your power. You have walked away from what is your work to do, your story to tell.
You are important. More important that you may realize right now. Trust me. I know these things.
I love all of the thoughts from the four leaders on what is success but my favorite of these listed is the one from Maya Angelou because it resonates so deeply with my belief. What’s your favorite?
That’s it for today.
Remember to: Dream Big, Believe in Yourself, and Do the Work.
If you found this helpful, please leave your comments in the section at the end. Share it with your friends and on your social media. We have to spread the word that success can belong to everyone.
Deb Bennett