You’ve always dreamed of making it big. Of getting your name up in lights. Perhaps you’ve already tasted some success, or you’re on the brink. But what does that mean to you? A person’s perspective on success is, of course, highly subjective. One common misconception about success is that it means money and fame. In truth though, those are only a small part of the picture. For example, some famous athletes have been rich and well-known but thoroughly miserable at the same time. Similarly, there are plenty of people who’ve never made millions but seem very content with their lives. What success really means is different for everyone, but there are some things that seem to be the most common.
Success Means Being True To Yourself
When you find your niche and start getting good at something, it’s easy to become obsessed with it. You may find yourself wanting to turn every waking moment into “practice time”. This becomes problematic when, unlike with sports and some other activities, you can’t put in more hours than everyone else. There’s a limit to how much time we all have, and no matter how good we get, we’ll never be able to work 24/7/365.
The people who succeed are those who find balance. They know when to say “no” to an opportunity, and how to set limits on what they do. After all, if you’re already putting in 50-60 hours at work each week (a rough estimate for many people), how much time are you really going to have leftover? Not only that, but if you go too far in one direction it can also be bad. You could get so obsessed with work that you cut off contact with the outside world, thus avoiding opportunities to grow and get more connections.
Even if you get really good at what you do, someone else will always be able to do it better than you. This means that the only way for you to truly succeed is by being yourself. If you try and be someone else, all you’re going to do is end up miserable and half-assed in everything. That won’t help anybody.
Success Means Having Time To Appreciate What Matters
How many rock stars have been so busy with writing albums, touring, and recording that they never had time to actually enjoy their success? Having the time to appreciate the finer things in life is a key part of success, as these Aesthetic quotes can attest to. Ultimately, it’s all about balance. You want to get good at what you do, but you also need to make time for other things in life. Whether it be family, friends, or progressing towards your physical fitness goals, having this kind of balance will make you happier and probably more successful, too!
The bottom line: there are lots of different paths that can lead to success. It’s up to you to find the right one and keep moving forward.
Read also: How to Celebrate Success in the Workplace