Feature: Success: An Inner and Outer Journey

By Timothy A. Edward

Success means different things to different people. Fulfillment and happiness are the cornerstones of success. Although fulfillment and success can be very personal and internal, the world, on the other hand, has its own criteria and standards by which it judges whether we are successful or not.

The World's Barometers of Success

The world has many barometers it uses to measure success. Recently, a friend of mine sent me a format to fill out. It asked about professional and academic qualifications, awards and recognitions, special accomplishments, records that have been set, including national and international contributions, research papers submitted, flagship programmes conducted and so on. This is how the world assesses our success—based on our unique contributions to better human and social quality index and how we have contributed to change situations and mindsets, people, communities, organisations, establishments and corporates. These metrics determine whether we have entered the revered hall of fame and success.

Fulfillment: The Internal Compass

Fulfillment, on the other hand, is very internal. It comes from within us and is based upon a deep sense of satisfaction and contentment that we experience on having met our very own expectations. When our sense of internal well-being and the external symbols of accomplishment converge, success happens and brings about the magical feeling of fulfillment and happiness.

Crafting Your Own Definition of Success

Know yourself and your purpose. Have your own definition of success and stick to it. We do not have to be somebody else. When we were born, we were endowed with certain unique gifts, talents, and callings within us. In other words, we were created with a purpose, and our Creator will not ask us to do what we cannot do. Know yourself, your talents and gifts, and believe in your calling and purpose in life.

Pursue Excellence in Your Calling

Desire and pursue success and excellence in that calling and in everything that you do. Abraham Lincoln said, “Nothing in this world is impossible to a willing heart.” Life’s unexpected events often force us in directions that we would otherwise not have gone. Have a compelling vision for your life. Set attainable goals to achieve that vision since goals are the stepping stones to success.

Design Action-Based Goals

Design action-based goals because our actions and daily activities affect our outcomes. However, there is always a cost-benefit to everything that we do. Often, the cost we are willing to pay to attain something demonstrates our inner passion towards that goal or action.

Seize Opportunities

When opportunities present themselves, seize the maximum potential, as time and tide wait for no man. As Gail Godin wisely capture, “Some things arrive in their own mysterious hour, on their own terms and not yours, to be seized or relinquished forever.”

Learn from Setbacks and Failures

Setbacks, failures, and disappointments are all too common in life. Do not allow them to hold you hostage or cause you to give up. Learn from the precious insights and valuable lessons they offer. That will lead to success. Thomas Edison held this view on failures: “I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward.” In the words of Winston Churchill, “Never, never, never quit.” Alfred Lord Tennyson put it this way: “The shell must break before the bird can fly.”

Managing Resources for Success

We all need to manage our resources to maximise our efforts. Time, energy, relationships, and finances are our key resources. To quote Suze Orman, a prominent financial advisor, author, and host of the Women & Money podcast: “When you start really respecting yourself, those you love, and your money, the result is that you start having control over your money. What follows from that is control over your life.” Mahatma Gandhi wrote: “A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption of our work; he is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider to our business; he is part of it. We are not doing him a favour by serving him. He is doing us a favour by giving us an opportunity to do so.” Compromising in little ways on our time, energy, relationships, and finances can turn out to be more harmful than we initially thought.

Success as a Journey

Finally, remember that as we grow in success, there are different levels in success, and every level brings with it a different set of challenges. This means we need to bear in mind that success is a journey. We never fully arrive but rather keep pressing towards that goal to attain the crown of success.

Success is a deeply personal and multifaceted concept, and each individual's journey towards it is unique. Embrace your path, believe in your purpose, and continually strive for fulfillment and excellence in all that you do.