“Success leaves clues” - Tony Robbins
As the year draws to a close, it’s a good time to review your year and set goals for the next. Last week I wrote about the value of reviewing your regrets, this week it’s the turn of your successes.
What is success?
Before we go further, we should define success clearly. Success is all about meaning, YOUR meaning. No-one else can define success for you. Many people struggle to feel fulfilled and content in life, because of the way they define success and the subconscious “rules” they create regarding success. People also struggle because they fail to stop and notice their successes and learn from them.
Consider this...Is an athlete only successful if they win a gold medal at the Olympics? No. They are successful every time they complete a run, set a new personal best and learn the latest technique. Is a business person only successful if they are CEO of the biggest company in the world? No. They are successful every time they have a business deal that goes well or when they exceed their profit forecast. Is a mother successful only if she produces the healthiest, cleverest child, ever? No. She is successful when she discovers a new hobby that makes her happy, when she helps her child recover from a nasty cold or when she gets to the bottom of the pile of ironing.
My definition of success is: achieving progress towards meaningful goals.
Your Successes
Grab a piece of paper or page in your journal and answer the following questions (writing these down activates more of your brain and helps you process the information better):
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What do I value most in life? Is it health, happiness, wealth, love, pride, accomplishment, belongings, contribution, creativity or something else?
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What have been my top successes in 2014 and why were these important to me?
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What have you been grateful for in 2014?
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What needs to happen for me to feel successful?
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Am I setting my “success bar” too high or too low?
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Have I stopped, noticed and celebrated my successes enough?
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What clues has success left for me, that might help me live a happier life?
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What could I do in 2015 experience more feelings of success?
If you struggle with this consider 7 key areas of your life: How you spend or manage your time, Physical Health, Mental Health, Relationships, Career, Personal Growth, Finances and Environment (home, town, country, planet).
Now you have a better understanding of your successes, let them guide you in your plans for 2015 and help you create the fabulous life, you dream of and deserve.
Adapted from Beyond Soccer Mom: Strategies for a fabulous balanced life, By Dr. Leonaura Rhodes (Morgan James 2014)