I don't have a prom queen crown on my shelf or homecoming sash in my closest. Sad, right? Not too much because (while I'm not trying to impress you) if you look back in my junior high and high school yearbooks, I was voted "most likely to succeed". A whole bunch of 14 year olds came together and predicted I'd be a lawyer, doctor, or work for the government. I'm not sure what the determining factors of the voting were that swayed their opinion to choose me, or even what "most likely to succeed" means.. but I am still a bit flattered to this day. What an intimidating thing to live up to!
Jokes aside, how do I know whether I've "made it" or not?
I work in the tallest building in Texas for a corporation that's thriving, performing in a job that I love. I've got a stable savings account for the first time in my life. I worked hard for a business degree from a state university. I created my own business from scratch that now brings me magazine publications and opportunities I never once would've had. I've traveled to over 13 countries and over 20 states. I live in a beautiful home, with the cutest puppy you've ever seen. I have a roof over my head and food on the table.
Seems like I'm checking all the success boxes? It definitely looks good on paper.. however, none of the things I have accomplished in my life have been the defining moment that has made me say "wow, I did it".
Sometimes we try to define our success with measurements of materialistic things. Sometimes we live in the mindset that those with more money, bigger houses, fancier cars, and prettier clothes have reached the top of the ladder. If you live in luxury, do you have it all? My mindset is a little different...
I always ask myself "Am I proud of what I've done? Am I proud of who I am? Am I proud of what I've accomplished and where I'm going?" Instead of deciding success based upon a job title, social status, reputation or ownership of goods, I want my success to be defined by me.
Would you consider me a successful wedding photographer if I told you I had 20 weddings booked for the year? Or, would you still consider me a successful wedding photographer, if I told you I had 1 wedding booked for the year and did my best to serve them to the best of my ability, treat them profoundly with kindness, and deliver products to them they would cherish?
If you admire who you are, the impacts you have, and continue to strive for greatness, in my book you are successful. No matter if that means the impacts you make effects 1 person or 1,000 people. No matter your profession, no matter your possessions, and no matter your reputation. Start to define your success based on who you are, not what you've done.
Try defining your success by how proud of yourself you are. Then you'll know if you've made it...
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