When it comes to the word “success”, different individuals will give their different opinions; this is down to the fact that we think and act differently, which impacts our perceptions of things and life in general. When we talk of the true measure of success, what are we talking about? This will be looked at in detail shortly. But the big question is, what is success? According to the Merriam Webster English Dictionary, success is a favourable or desired outcome. From this meaning, we see that success is more than making a couple of extra bucks or hitting a really big contract, as seen by a school of thought. Success goes beyond wealth creation.

What really is the true test of success?

The real question should be, is there a measuring parameter for success? The answer isn’t a yes or a no because a committee or a panel does not determine the measure of success; it is measured on a personal basis. The initial meaning given for success is “a favourable or desired outcome” this means that success is relative to each person. There isn’t a general rule of measurement when it comes to success. However, media, blogs, the internet may want to carve their own terms for success. They may want even to draw up a successful people’s list, but do not let this affect you in any way because society’s definition of success usually is accompanied by wealth. Still, wealth isn’t a measure of success. Your measurement of success is usually determined by your level of satisfaction with a job. Success is feeling fulfilled after a day’s job because you could accomplish all of or at least a majority of your plan for the day; it is doing what you love and feeling fulfilled doing it without coercion but simply because you have a passion for it.

What success isn’t

Society’s way of viewing success is based on fortune, wealth, getting a good business deal or basically anything associated with money. But in the real sense, all these are not “success” but can be to an individual because success is relative. One person’s view of success may be to get a certain amount of wealth, but that doesn’t mean that getting wealth is a success; it’s just like saying you like eating snacks regularly, but that doesn’t mean eating snacks regularly is good for the health. Success isn’t money, but success is measured on a personal basis. Success is not working your life out just to make some extra money, simply because you have a standard you have set for yourself or may have been set for you because of the environment you find yourself. It is important not to lose yourself in pursuit of “success” this is one area we need to watch because we have seen marriages crumble simply because a spouse spends more time at work than they do at home, all in the name of aiming for success. That is why the wrong perceptions of success have been discussed here. You are the only person who can determine whether you are successful, and every other thought is simply an opinion that can always change.

Your Level of Ambition

Your level of ambition is a way for you to measure your success, and since this varies with each person, there is, therefore, no collective tag for success. Ambition can be the finish line for you, but getting to that finish line, there are different stages for you to go through before you can say you have reached your ambition as a person in whichever field you set that ambition towards. It could be family, work, relationships, or even an exercise routine. But ambition can change; growing up as a child, I’m guessing the ambitions you had have changed as you see life differently. As a child, anything is possible, and everything seems within your reach, but growing older, you begin to discover that not all battles are worth fighting; there are some fights you will have to lose so that you can win the ones that really matter and that is a sign of success because losing doesn’t mean you’ve failed or you are not a success it only means you have to do better than you did previously.

What are the best criteria to measure success by?

It has been established that success is measured on a secret base, but what should you really look out for before saying you are a success?

1. How fulfilled you are: This should be the first thing you loom out for as you measure or count your success. Whatever it is you do or find yourself doing, make sure you are fulfilled. Fulfilment is only found when you do what you have a strong passion for and do with relative ease. Whatever you find yourself doing or wherever you find yourself, either business, work, relationship or even as little as your dressing, make sure you feel fulfilled as you do it.
2. What impact do you have on others: In as much as you feel fulfilled, make sure you positively impact those around you. Don’t be the type of boss or employee or father, mother, son or daughter who is more concerned about how they feel and forget that they ought to have influenced others. Your joy and fulfilment may eventually fade away, but the impact you leave behind is a legacy that stays forever, either good or bad, so be sure to leave a good impact.
3. Your set goals: What goals have you set for yourself? What time frame have you set yourself to achieve these goals? These are things you look out for in the search for success and measure if you have achieved that or not. Nobody knows your goals timeline except you let them in on it, so nobody should tell you whether or not you have become successful or not. You must set goals for yourself and put deadlines or timeframes when you do; this will help you know how well or how badly you are going.

Conclusion

There is no metric scale for measuring your success, so be careful not to allow any external influence to determine your success, move at your own Pace but be sure to put checks in place to checkmate your steady or rapid progress.