What if you can define your own success?
- Carrie Leung
- Mar 5
- 3 min read
One question you need to think through to find your possibilities.
Are you a high achiever who always delivers top-quality work, crack complex problems, and smash business goals?
Congratulations! That must not be easy. You managed to make it happen and enjoy deep satisfaction and rewards.
Until one day, you suddenly feel they don't bring you as much satisfaction as before:
you feel most emails and meetings are more and more pointless
you notice something out of alignment with your values
and you find your tasks are no longer meaningful
You know SOMETHING IS OFF but you are carrying huge responsibilities on your shoulders for your family’s financial needs, teammates development, and pressure from the management.
It’s so overwhelming that you may not have the energy to really think for yourself.
So let me ask you a question:
If this kind of success continues for another 10 years, is that what you truly want?
WhoSE Success ARE YOU BENCHMARKING?
When we talk about successful people, society generally refers to those who are RICH and FAMOUS.
Top of mind images include Elon Musk, Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, Jensen Huang etc.
The massive media coverage of their business successes make many take it as if that's the GOLD STANDARD for PERSONAL SUCCESS.
Especially for those who are working for growth driven companies, their CEOs are aspiring to be as successful as those famous people.
That could unconsciously become a BORROWED AMBITION for the senior leaders as well.
Those famous people are super successful in wealth creation and business empire building, but are they also successful in other areas of life?
More crucially, are they successful in the life areas you care about?
Look around people in your field or at your LinkedIn feed.
Do you know someone who is highly successful at work but FAILED in health or relationships?
Many felt regrets when they reached the top to find out how much they have traded health, relationships, and meaning for.
Do you know what your current success costs you?
WHAT IF THERE ARE POSSIBILITIES TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS BY YOUR DEFINITION?
A few years ago, I came across a finance education channel on YouTube by an ex-banker called Rain from Hong Kong.
She just left her high-pay banking job and started her new life in another country. She quit because she wanted more freedom of choices in life.
Despite facing uncertainty, she was able to do the shift because she PREPARED her jump by building her investment portfolio that's solid enough to sustain her transition.
Later she managed to grow the channel, launched her other businesses, and continued investing while building her family in a new country of her choice.
She is definitely not the Warren Buffet kind of success. That DOES NOT MATTER because she achieves her definition of success by making conscious choices.
What does a successful life mean to you?
What short term gains would you prepare to give away to receive long term satisfaction?
Success is defined by the beholder
Many forms of success are not celebrated because society has a narrow focus on business success.
That means you have OPTIONS.
It's your choice to fit into that common belief of success defined by others or steer your own way to achieve success on your own terms that brings you lasting joy.
If you are ready to define your success, let's do an exercise.
Set an alarm for 5 minutes, grab something to write with, and jot down your answers to this question:
"What does a successful life mean to you?"
Take it easy, you don’t need to make it happen tomorrow. Just write what feels truthful to you.
That one simple step will bring clarity to decide your next move.
Your perceived success is determined by society. Your real success is not.
Make your choice for your lasting happiness.
Thanks for reading.
Carrie
Hope this article inspires you. If it does, do share with others because
~ WE RISE BY LIFTING OTHERS ~
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