Throw out the Measuring Tool!

If you’re measuring your success currently, then can I suggest you take a moment and explore how you’re going about it?

Because in my experience the majority use other people’s yardsticks, others’ measurement criteria as their own.

Now that would be fine if we were all equal and similar in every way, but of course we’re not – we’re unique! And that means that what we want and how we measure progress and achievement must also be unique for it to have real meaning for us as individuals.

Success is not a one size fits all subject!

So what do I mean by ‘using other people’s yardsticks or measurement criteria’? Well, I mean what society, your peers, your family or friends think is important. I mean their definition of success.

Being ‘a success’ or ‘being successful’ is a well-worn phrase these days, which often has a generic and universally understood and accepted meaning. That of money (and what that buys us), status, and power.

I say universally understood and accepted because they’re usually used without any real thought to what they mean to you personally. They’re accepted at a surface level only!

But if we explore the consequences of this type of acceptance and non-thinking on our part it can be illuminating.

Consequences such as:

•Frustration at your circumstances or position
•Negative comparison with others
•Feeling of never having enough
•Constantly chasing more or better

And let’s face it, when you go down this road there will always be someone who appears to have more, be more or be doing more than you!

So what’s the remedy?

It’s really simple, and it’s the foundation of my work.
Figure out what success means to you personally. Get clear.....

Not on the outward manifestation (although that is likely to form part of it) but rather on the internal thoughts and feelings you will have about yourself, your business and your life when you are successful. In other words explore the reasons why any outward manifestations of success are important to you.

This is all about getting in touch with what you really value, and checking in with what makes you feel happy and fulfilled.

Because, if success is not about you being your absolute best, about you feeling great and that coming through in how you sound, how you look, in how you’re being, then what’s the point of aspiring to it?

Define success for yourself, and establish your own measurement tool so you don’t fall into the trap of using other's tools or chasing SUCCESS for its own sake!

I suggest viewing success as a Dance, a journey to be enjoyed rather than an end result in itself. And checking in with your feelings and emotions, because these are uniquely yours.

Author's Bio: 

After experiencing unhappiness in her work and then a decline in her business results that affected how she felt about herself, her business and her life, Julie developed her breakthrough DANCE system to help business women reconnect with themselves to discover their own true path to success rather than simply following or modelling others. For free success information and details of her book Stepping into Success ...The 7 Essential Moves to Bring Your Business to Life visit www.juliejohnsoncoaching.com