How do you measure and gauge your success today? Is success all that you thought it was cracked up to be? By definition, success is a noun: “the favorable outcome of something attempted.”

The answers to the two questions above are tied into the lens we look through at any place in our life cycle. Each place in that cycle is real, legitimate and important. The question and answer of how we gauge our success has dramatically changed for most of us in the past few years, as we have seen our circumstances and assets change. That has gotten me thinking about what the benchmarks are today that gauge success for me.

I have seen people’s health, financial security, family structure, business and career path and stability change in the snap of a finger. My life path has changed more in five years than in the prior two decades!

If success is about the favorable outcome of things we attempt, then I measure success today through these six benchmarks.

1) Making Quality Life Connections
Nurturing and improving long-term, healthy relationships with family, friends and colleagues

2) Engaging in Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Working at and integrating work/life balance, diet, exercise, stress management, hobbies and fascinations

3) Working on My Spiritual Condition
Going within and underneath the exterior, to our values, beliefs, acceptance, tolerance, paying forward and connectedness

4) Exercising My Willingness to Learn
Always challenging and pushing my ability to stay open to new ideas, skills and learning

5) Having Resilience to Change
Embracing, accepting, dealing with and arming myself for unexpected change

5) Building Networks and Support Systems
Continually building strong, mutual personal and professional communities and connections–and using them

6) Staying in and Living in the Now
Focus on the only reality that I have, which is the day I am in, and making the absolute most of it

Gauging my success today has very little to do with material success alone, which is  fleeting without these benchmarks. Material success is a manifestation of these benchmarks and comes with a quiet resolve to enjoy and share them with all who make them possible to have and achieve.

Seriously, I don’t know anyone who has sustained happiness and success without these benchmarks as a foundation. Just ask any of the many examples of people who have crashed and burned because of greed and fraud. The universe sees right through that, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly.

 

Courtesy: Small Biz Trends

About Deborah Shane

Deborah Shane is an author, speaker, media host, business and career brand/branding consultant. Deborah hosts her blog, Deborah Shane Toolbox, and weekly business radio show, Deborah Shane Metropolis. She writes for several national business, career, branding, business and marketing sites. Her new book, "Career Transition: Make the Shift is available through all major book sellers.