Success, What Is It

Success: What is it?

Ray Montie is a National Consultant with Ambit energy with ideas about success and what success is.


Many people define success as meeting a certain set of goals. Then, these expectations are compared to a set of standards. This can be understood as the antithesis of failure. The standards for success can be relative to an individual's perception or understanding and can vary widely from person to person. Success for some people may mean earning a lot of money, having a glamorous career, or reaching a particular goal. Others may view success as the company's ability to create a marketplace for its product or service.

Success is also related to happiness. Many successful people feel completely satisfied with their lives, and there is little need to do things that aren't pleasing to them. Successful people are happy, and living a full and complete life is a major factor in determining their happiness. Zig Ziglar, an American motivational speaker, stated that money isn't the root for happiness. Money is the root to prosperity.

People who are successful have a strong commitment to their goals and pursue them until they reach their full potential. This level of commitment is what separates the successful from unsuccessful, and it provides a vital distinction between being a winner and a loser. Many of the world's most successful people are winners because they have a system for achieving success, goals, and happiness. Successful people are dedicated, they take the time to focus on their goals, and they are persistent in their efforts. These aren't results you can achieve in one day, week or month. They are lasting qualities that are grounded in personal commitment.

Success is a subjective idea that is related to the definition of achievement. Each person's definition of success is different. Even in similar situations, winners can fail to achieve their goals due to their own perspective on success. To illustrate this point, a road runner may run a very good race, but if he or she views success as getting to the finish line first, they might view their experience as disappointing. Similarly, a salesperson might have an excellent product, but if she views success as making a sale, she may feel less satisfaction in her job.

The attitude we adopt towards achieving success is key to our success. There are many different ways people view success. Some see it as a reward or an end. Others consider it a natural outcome. The more pessimistic a person is, the less likely he or she is to see success as anything other than an achievement. If you want to define success in your business life, this outlook is critical.

Another important aspect of success is the way we see our jobs. Are you viewed your job as a problem, an opportunity for failure or a rewarding career that pays off in the long-term? Those who view their careers as challenges are much less likely to give up their jobs when things get tough. The same goes for those who see success as something that happens naturally. They are more likely to be satisfied with their career when it fails. In short, those who view their career success as coming naturally are much happier with their jobs than those who view their careers as having great difficulty.

Another important factor to success is to have clear and defined goals. No matter the field, success is difficult if there aren't clearly stated goals. If you work as a typist you should have clear goals about what you will accomplish each hour. Likewise, if you are setting out to open a sports store, having clear goals such as doubling the sales in the first month makes a big difference.

Finally, one of the keys to success is to make sure that you are not complacent. People often view failure as something to be avoided, rather than a way of life. It is easy to see that not everyone can see success. If you want to enjoy consistent progress toward your goals, it is important to keep at it every day. Indeed, for many people, simply viewing progress toward their goals as something to be glad about can lead them to enjoy their work immensely.