Success...

Posted on 22nd Jan 2018 at 2:05 PM from Warwick, UK

What does success mean to you?
Often we associate success with money. Money is important but it certainly is far from the only criteria for success. Have you ever thought about exactly what success means to you?

"Money isn't everything - but it ranks right up there with oxygen" - what a great quote from Zig Ziglar. Money certainly is not the only component to success. However, if you haven't got enough money to care for your basic needs and a few luxuries then money is rather essential...

But what happens once the money issue is out of the way? Sure there is always a nicer car to buy or a bigger house to move into or a more exotic holiday to take but there comes a point when bigger is no longer better. Success is different for everyone but there is one definition that I love. It is not new. In fact in comes from William James and was written at the turn of the 19th century.

"Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal"

So what does this mean and how can we apply it to our own success? Let's start with worthy ideal. To me this is a goal - your ideal achievement or your ideal lifestyle or your ideal contribution to mankind. Your ideal. As long as it is your ideal and it is worthy then that is your goal. The realisation part is simply working towards that goal and the progressive statement means taking it one step at a time on a regular, preferably daily, basis.

So the succinct definition that William James gave us over 100 years ago, simply means having a worthwhile goal and steadily working towards it. If we have a goal, and we have worked towards it today, then today is a successful day. That's how I look at it. To this end I review my day each evening and, if I have worked towards my goals, then I know that I can consider my day a success.

Does the definition from William James fit in with your idea of success? Please let us now in the comments below...

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The Magic of 3 Weeks. Most people have a few bad habits that don't always serve them or help them achieve and everyone knows how difficult it is to change. Ian has outlined a simple and effective way to replace bad habits with good success habits which will help those that follow it achieve their goals. - Chris Williams

John Bell

Mon 12th Mar 2018 at 12:37 PM

Hi Ian, Success to me is being true to myself, honouring myself and gathering people into a circle of respectful friendship, regardless of where and when we may disagree.

John Bell

Mon 12th Mar 2018 at 12:35 PM

Hi Ian, Success to me is being true to myself, honouring myself and gathering people into a circle of respectful friendship, regardless of where and when we may disagree.

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