Success: What does it mean to you?
When asked to speak at a Women on Boards: Representation Matters event, we were asked to ponder several questions. As I was reflecting on this topic before the event, I was thinking how I wanted to smash the definition of success to pieces (and I am not a violent person)! What is a successful business? What is a successful life? What does successful parenting look like? What does a ‘successful’ woman look like? The list goes on…often the definition of success is defined for us, not by us; often we are influenced by others’ definition of success.
** pause for a related tangent: I am a credentialed evaluator. Definitions of success do play an important role in this field. I evaluate other people’s definition of success or outcomes. At the same time, I see myself challenging some of those definitions, and allowing people to reflect and define what success looks like for them; what does it really mean if everything is going the way the program, service and/or initiative is designed? Can we shift the perspective of what success looks like to those who (are to) benefit from the program, service, initiative — let them define what success looks like?? tangent completed * *
I can’t tell you what success or happiness looks like for you, or what it should be. You get to decide, as you are the expert of your own life. = ) What I can do is help you explore and define your own version (or versions) of success, whatever that may be for you. And I can help you find your own path, or paths, to achieve that. For some it is a way of living, for some it is the dream job, for some it is greater fulfilment, for some pursuing their passions, and/or trying to find that balance or alignment in their personal and/or professional lives. The choices are yours. What would you like to see more or less of in your life? What is your definition of success?
Let’s allow people to define and dream their own version of their lives, success, and happiness. Our visions may not be all the same, and that is what is beautiful.
Smashing and recreating definitions of “success”…
Success: What does it mean to you?
When asked to speak at a Women on Boards: Representation Matters event, we were asked to ponder several questions. As I was reflecting on this topic before the event, I was thinking how I wanted to smash the definition of success to pieces (and I am not a violent person)! What is a successful business? What is a successful life? What does successful parenting look like? What does a ‘successful’ woman look like? The list goes on…often the definition of success is defined for us, not by us; often we are influenced by others’ definition of success.
** pause for a related tangent: I am a credentialed evaluator. Definitions of success do play an important role in this field. I evaluate other people’s definition of success or outcomes. At the same time, I see myself challenging some of those definitions, and allowing people to reflect and define what success looks like for them; what does it really mean if everything is going the way the program, service and/or initiative is designed? Can we shift the perspective of what success looks like to those who (are to) benefit from the program, service, initiative — let them define what success looks like?? tangent completed * *
I can’t tell you what success or happiness looks like for you, or what it should be. You get to decide, as you are the expert of your own life. = ) What I can do is help you explore and define your own version (or versions) of success, whatever that may be for you. And I can help you find your own path, or paths, to achieve that. For some it is a way of living, for some it is the dream job, for some it is greater fulfilment, for some pursuing their passions, and/or trying to find that balance or alignment in their personal and/or professional lives. The choices are yours. What would you like to see more or less of in your life? What is your definition of success?
Let’s allow people to define and dream their own version of their lives, success, and happiness. Our visions may not be all the same, and that is what is beautiful.