What does success mean to you?
Especially in work, it can be common for money, title, or status to take the goalpost, but research suggests money leads to greater happiness only to the extent that our basic needs are met, after which it will always reach an even plateau again.
For example, we may be awarded with a higher pay or promoted, but once the initial excitement wears off, we return to our original level of happiness.
By defining what success means to you, and identifying your Top 5 values, you can lay out a path that aligns with your sense of meaning and purpose. The hope that we will be ‘successful’ can never be attained if you don’t initially take the time to determine what success means to you.
Alongside your own personal core values and vision of success, studies show the following are key drivers of long-term fulfillment:
Positive emotions – Frequent feelings of happiness and satisfaction
Engagement – Being in the ‘state of flow’ where everything just clicks into place and you lose sense of time
Meaningful connections – Mutual feelings of compassion, support and feeling valued
Purpose – Contributing to make a positive, meaningful impact
Achievement – Striving for mastery, creating actionable items, accomplishing goals
Vitality – Overall emotional and physical well-being and health
As an activity to determine what makes a great life for you, list the above drivers from what is most important to you, to least important to you. Then rate each with your current level of satisfaction from 0 (not satisfied at all) to 10 (fulfilled). This can give you a better idea of the areas in your life that need less or more attention to create the life you want to live.
Start the year off right by making decisions that align with your values. If we all live closer to our purpose, we make a greater impact on the world around us.