The Importance of Defining What Success Means to You

Everyone in life seems to be chasing the same thing, something by the name of success. While this may seem like everyone is pursuing the same goal, this couldn't be further from the truth. For this reason, you must discuss what success means to you before you start the journey towards it. Otherwise, you may end up lost along the way.

 

Why Does Success Look Different for Everyone?

 

Name one person on this earth that likes all the same things you do and does them in the exact same way you do. Can't think of anyone? Exactly. This is because everyone on this earth is different, so you can't expect success to look the same for everyone either.

 

You have different desires, beliefs, and abilities. Chances are something that someone else may see as success may not even seem like fun to you. Therefore, you wouldn't consider it a success based on how you see the world.  

 

Why is Defining What Success Means to You Important?

 

If you are chasing someone else's idea of success, the reality is, you probably won't get there. Especially because we have already established that you are unique in your abilities and desires. Therefore, to achieve success, you must define what that means for you.

 

For example, someone like Elon Musk may qualify success as selling 12,000 of his new car models. While that is great for Elon Musk, you are just a dealer at a car lot. You're just looking to make enough money to survive and go on that vacation you've always wanted. Therefore, success for you should be defined as selling five cars every month, or whatever amount to meet your monetary goal. 

 

If you don't set an appropriate goal and instead define success only as selling 12,000 units, you will likely never achieve it and end up disappointed and discouraged. 

 

Defining Success is Critical to Achieving It

 

As you can see, you don't have to make your own definition of success, but if you stick to the one the world provides you, you won't be honoring your situation or desires.  

 

It's time to throw away the world's ideas of success and create your own. While it may look different, and others may not understand, you’ll be able to achieve it—and that’s all that really matters.

 

Overall, success is only great if you achieve it. Therefore, it is absolutely critical that you define your own version of success. This is the only way it will be within your reach.  

 

A Simple 3-Step Process to Practice More Empathy

An empathetic person can identify with what someone else is experiencing. They may have had the same experience before. This isn't necessary to practice empathy. You might just be very good at putting yourself in another person's mindset.

 

Someone tells you they lost their job. They're going through so many different negative emotions. They're concerned about their mortgage payment and other financial issues.

 

A person that loses a dream job could start wondering what happened. It took them a long time to get the job they always wanted. They might have been a great employee. Then something occurred that was out of their control. Perhaps the company went bankrupt.

 

This individual could start questioning his own role in the failure of the company. A ton of different negative emotions might be experienced. The empathetic person is able to fully embrace the emotions the other person is going through even if they've never lost a job before.

 

You might want to help your friends and family members by displaying more empathy. You care about them and want to help them when they're in need. If that's the case, simply put into practice the following three-step technique for showing empathy.

 

Step 1 – Listen Actively

 

You might be a good listener. But are you an active listener? Do you just sit there with a blank expression and take in everything that's being said?

 

An active listener uses body language, facial expressions and eye movement to let the person speaking know that they're engaged and present. They are truly and deeply listening. 

 

You use open-ended questions to try to get more information from the speaker. Active listening uses anything at your disposal to get the speaker to share more information. You communicate to that person that their feelings are understood.

 

Step 2 – Validate the Experience

 

People often tell you what's on their minds because they want you to validate what they're saying. They need to know that it's okay to have certain feelings or think a specific way. When you validate a tough situation someone's experiencing, you let them know they're not alone.

 

You validate an experience by adopting the same feelings and emotions. Tell the person that you're sharing the experience with them and that it's okay. They should recognize whatever emotions are happening. Then the empathetic person tries to figure out what can be done to fix the problem.

 

Step 3 – Offer Advice

 

Empathy is a two-part process. You take on the perspective of another person. You develop an understanding emotionally of what that person is going through. The second part involves action. You provide assistance of some kind. You try to help the person with their struggle. 

 

One way you can do this is by offering smart advice. Remember to think about their situation and not yours. Don't include any bias or judgment. Put yourself in their shoes and then give them advice to help them out of their problem.

 

Showing empathy means you care. It tells people you're putting your own interests aside for a while. The three-step process we just covered can help you show empathy to the people you care about. You'll find that you benefit as much as they do by making an emotional connection.