Success is a Choice

How do you ascribe value to yourself? What does the word "success" mean to you? For me, it is an ongoing evaluation. So, let me explain. There was a time in my life when I thought that being successful meant driving the "right" car, living in the "right" neighbourhood, or being married to the "right" woman. But life is the ultimate teacher, and at times, life's lessons can be difficult to learn.

When I was young, everything seemed to be in a zero-sum equation. You either won or you lost. An outcome was either good or bad. As it turns out, this was a simplistic view. Nothing is ever quite so simple. There are pros and cons to everything, opportunities to be had, sacrifices to be made, and all the while, you are growing as an individual. At times, this growth can be painful. At other times, delightful. But, all the while, you are changing – and this is the only constant.

Success, therefore, is a choice. When you wake up in the morning, do you know how your day will turn out? If not, ask yourself this; have you set goals for yourself? These should take the form of short–, medium–, and long– term outcomes that you would like to see in your life. What is important to you? For some, the next zero on their bank balance is all they aspire to. For others, seeing their family happy and thriving gives the most satisfaction. You need to decide what is right for you. But, you need to decide – and, ultimately, it is the choices we make that define us.

For me, I equate success to being the best version of myself that I can be. I try to live deliberately, that is to say, I try to have my life be something which I do on my own terms. It is not always easy, but at the end of the day, it is up to me to decide the outcomes I want to see. I set goals. I set standards. I set desired results. And, all the while, I remain conscious of the process, doing everything I can to realize the potential I know I have within me.