Hey Solopreneurs, let’s redefine success! It’s time to break free from society’s definition and focus on what really matters for our heart and aliveness. Success doesn’t need to be complicated. For ourselves, we need to focus on relationships, health, and self-sustainability. In business, success is joyful service, problem-solving, and value exchange. The real prize is just being human, so let’s embrace the opportunities and celebrate the journey! 😎
Every now and again, I have to redefine what success means to me. If I don’t, then I get lost in the world’s idea of success, while also getting lost in comparing myself to other people. This is a great opportunity to get back in touch with what’s deeply sincere for my unique experience of being human.
I find it fascinating how what I might think is my vision of success is really a socially conditioned vision where I want to be seen as successful by others. Do you notice this? In our confused insecurities and inadequacies, we look to be accepted by others and the world, thinking we should strive to be what other people want and are.
Case in point, if we crave our parent’s approval, then we strive to match what we think is their idea of success. This could be, and often is, completely divorced from the sincerity of our unique opportunity to experience success.
Every so often, I find it necessary to redefine my understanding of success. Otherwise, I risk losing sight of my own definition of success and becoming preoccupied with society’s definition or comparing myself to others. This is an opportunity to rediscover what truly matters to me as a unique individual.
It’s interesting to reflect on how my vision of success is subtly shaped by societal expectations and the desire to be perceived as successful by others. Have you ever noticed this? Our adorably confused insecurities lead us to believe that we should conform to others’ expectations.
For instance, if we seek our parents’ approval, we may strive to meet their definition of success, which may not align with our individual values and aspirations. In such cases, we may lose sight of our personal definition of success.
I don’t want to be swayed by society’s expectations or others’ opinions, I don’t want to live someone else’s life just because I think I’m missing their approval. What I want, is to dive more deeply into what truly matters for my heart and aliveness.
For the sake of this Sunday letter for Solopreneurs, there are 2 areas of success I want to define, and I playfully encourage you to explore.
- A vision of success for my unique experience of being human
- A vision of success in business, for my ‘customers,’ or for the people I choose to support.
1. Success for Myself
This includes a wide range of things, from how I choose to spend my time, to the quality of relationships I have, to my experience of health and well-being, to the level of income needed to make this possible.
The challenge is to look beyond my conditioned judgments about what I assume is right or wrong, good or bad, should or should not be, and instead focus on a sincere exploration of discovery, growth, and play.
I’m not looking for success to be easy, per se, but I would like success to be simple, uncomplicated, and clearly defined.
I’ll share my examples of defined success for myself, and perhaps it will shed some light on your journey of clarifying.
Success for myself in 3 areas
- Relationships: I have the capacity to authentically enjoy other human beings and share my time with them in a way that celebrates and honors the miracle of being alive.
- Practically: I have a close circle of friends who are like family, and a life partner with whom I intimately share all parts of myself and fully support her safety, security, and opportunity to play in this life.
- Health & Wellness: I am consciously engaged in taking care of my body and mind in a way that honors my physical being. To be healthy is to express gratitude for being alive.
- Practically: I see food is first fuel and nourishment for a healthy body and mind, secondly, it’s a source of deep enjoyment that grounds me into the moment. Feeling strong is important, it grounds me to my physicality and helps me feel more present and alive.
- Self Sustainability (Money/Value): I experience a relaxed confidence in my ability to add value and provide for myself, in a way that creates an overflow that can be abundantly shared with others.
- Practically: My ability to create value is more and more effortless, and my ability to receive value is more and more passive and automatic. The value and money I receive, is much more than I need to live comfortably and enjoy high-quality experiences day by day, month by month and year by year. Therefore, there is plenty to save, invest, and share with other people in my Life. There is an abundance overflow.
2. Success in Business
Success in business, to me, is about 3 things.
- Being in joyful service
- Consistently solve a problem
- The grateful exchange of value
Yes; that simple. Show up for people in a way that aligns with my joy. Become a student, through practice and study, at resolving a specific problem people have. Structure a fair exchange that supports myself in becoming even better at solving the problem for more people.
I find it helpful to visualize success for the people I choose to support. It’s beautiful to reflect on how I can support the quality of life of other humans.
The Customer Vision of Success
Here are three things I want to contribute to the lives of other people: the people I choose to support either one-on-one or in group programs.
- See the Gift of Life: Help my customers/clients quickly unravel painful confusions and make contact with a more sincere opportunity that invites them to learn, grow, and play.
- Define a Clear Path for Progress: My customers/clients experience a deep sense of gratitude and renewed confidence for seeing a clear path for making meaningful and playful progress.
- Courageous Steps that Honor their Humanness: I see my customers/clients stepping out of their comfort zone and experiencing a playful expansion. The kind of growth where they look back and see how adorable their fears were yesterday; then, we laugh and celebrate the journey of being human.
FOCUS on the REAL PRIZE
As I reflect on these things, success for myself and success in the lives I touch, my goodness, it really helps me focus.
In many ways, success is in the opportunity. Simply being able to see the opportunity I have to learn, grow, and play as a human being shows that I am already connected to success. To see the opportunity is to be successful.
The real prize is to be human. By embracing this, we open ourselves up to the true opportunities of being human. This is the ultimate success in being human.
