How do you measure success?

What is the image that comes to mind when you think of yourself as successful, or when you imagine other successful people? For many of us, success is distant, something almost intangible that we are constantly reaching for, striving toward.

The real trouble with success is it’s a moving target. On our endless journey toward this obscure sense of what we wish for ourselves, we forget to acknowledge the small milestones. Each time we reach those milestones we are already looking ahead to the next.

There are two questions I try to ask myself regularly:
What is your concept of success, today? and
What have you already accomplished?

The first question gives us the target, the second rewards and acknowledges the milestones we’ve already reached. It’s important to pause and acknowledge your successes. Take a moment to look around you, see how far you’ve already come, because the horizon remains a distant point every step you take but the distance behind you becomes an expansive haven of success.

Alex Noble said, “If I have been of service, if I have glimpsed more of the nature and essence of ultimate good, if I am inspired to reach wider horizons of thought and action, if I am at peace with myself, it has been a successful day.”

For many, success equals happiness. Knowing that right this moment, we are already successful is uplifting and confidence-inspiring. In this very moment we have fostered many successes, there are a great many things we have done right. Right now, what have you accomplished up to this moment?

When building on your list of accomplishments look beyond your business or career and consider your personal successes. Do you have happy, healthy children? Wow! That is a HUGE success! Being a parent is one of the greatest challenges and every day offers a thousand potential successes. Have you done something to strengthen your romantic relationship recently? Have you read something interesting, written something inspiring, connected with others, had an idea, put a new plan into action, watered the garden, checked a chore off your to-do list?

Your life is full of these small, milestone successes. Pause in your dogged-determination toward your future success and see the pebble-strewn path you’ve already walked. Each pebble is an accomplishment, an achievement, a hurdle you’ve conquered and a step you will never have to take again. Reward yourself for having come so far.

To follow without halt, one aim; there is the secret of success. And success? What is it? I do not find it in the applause of the theater; it lies rather in the satisfaction of accomplishment.” ~ Anna Pavlova

THEN, set your new target firmly in your sights. Make sure it is a new success that isn’t so far distant the edges blur. Ensure your vision of success today is sharp, clear, and inspiring. See your success, feel it to the very depth of you, and step those pebbles on the path toward it.