How do you measure success?

[TheDutchSlayer]

happiness and contentment with your current situation

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This is the only thing that really matters for 99% of people.

 

[RandomDazed]

Getting up in the morning, going to bed at night, and in between, doing what you want.

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I'm with this person.

Obviously you need money, stability and support from family / friends / Partner to really get anywhere close to achieving this.

It's sort of my goal though.

If i can spend most of my days doing mostly what i want, that is my way of measuring success and my own personal happiness.

 

[Skade]

Are you happy in your life ?

If yes, then you are successfull.

If not, then you are not.

Anything else is irrelevant.

 

[The Anonymous Wizard]

Comfortable living and general happiness are pretty good measurements.
But so is a roof over your head, a job and a bit of money in the bank.

I'm lucky enough to have all of these things, so now I can set myself more difficult 'side quests' like advancing my art career, relationship, various projects - things that are not necessary for my personal happiness but can further improve it.

 

[Deleted member 8197]

Success would be being paid more than whatever I'm currently being paid.

 

[Aureon]

Serotonin and oxytocin levels!

 

[Umbrella Carp]

Staying alive for one more day in an ever increasingly cynical and narcissistic world

 

[samb_rules]

Having enough money to buy nice shoes, eat nice food and to be able to go on a spontaneous holiday. I don't think the word "success" really applies to things outside of career/money to me, stuff like happiness and love is.. I don't think you can plan for that, there's no road to it.

 

[hank_tree]

happiness and contentment with your current situation

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Nobody has that.

 

[rm082e]

1. Set a goal
2. Brainstorm and research
3. Form the resulting info into a plan
4. Make a to-do list each day and work
5. Set aside time to detach and review
6. Don't quit

If you are passionate about you goal - whatever it is - the above high level process will provide a framework for being successful. I learned this as a kid when I used it to start and build a mowing business in my neighborhood. I used this same process to build my adult life: Marriage, kids, house, career, etc. All the big stuff.

Start with small goals. Pick something you feel fairly confident you could achieve in 3 months if you worked hard at it, even if that goal doesn't meet the end state you eventually want to achieve. It's okay to use goals as stepping stones to success down the line. Each time you achieve a goal and move that item to the "Completed" column, start thinking about the next goal that's just out of reach. Over time, you should start setting bigger and bigger goals.

I keep a journal for personal stuff and a second journal for work. I make entries in both almost every day. I also keep short term to-do lists, and longer term goals/projects go on a kanban board. I use Trello for that, but there are several other electroni options, and good old index cards work well. Achieving goals is a creative process, and creative endevors require tools. These are the tools I use, but there are many great options.

The goals a person chooses to set for themself should be based on their own personal journey through life, not outside expectations from family, friends, media, culture, etc. What do YOU want to achieve? Making that a reality is all that really matters. Money might be a measure at times, but it doesn't have to be.

The confidence (not cockiness) you get from setting goals and achieving them is the real prize though. It wipes away a lot of the negative emotions that drag you down and get in the way of enjoying life. Sucess naturally generates satisfaction.

 

[Banzai]

Are you happy? If yes, you're successful.

 

[Zhukov]

Good health and happiness.

I once read something by an old clinical psychologist who'd been working in the field all his life. He said that in his experience the things that actually make people happy were satisfying work and fulfilling relationships. (And for some people religious faith and having children.)

Sounded pretty good to me. So whenever the question of "what do you really want" comes up, I just repeat that.

 

[Trice]

Being healthy, loved and rich.

 

[Wackamole]

I don't measure it.
I just try to make my life fun by only focussing on people i like, work i like doing (illustrator) and by doing things i like (playing guitar, photography, etc).
I'm with my girlfriend for over 23 years now and i hope we grow old together and we have an amazing son.I try to be healthy but i also like a drink and some weed. In between there are things i like less but that are necessary. I'm happy with what i have and who i spend time with.
I'm fine. I hope nothing messes it up. No ambition to become rich. Because i see what it does to people and the people they know.
People are obviously too stupid too deal with a lot of money. Now, at this stage in my life i could sure use a bit more finacial stability. But not too much.

 

[Neo C.]

Financial independence. After that, life is easy mode.

 

[Dan Thunder]

Am I happy with my life is the only measure you need.

For some people it's having their own home, for some being in a good relationship, for others it's owning a fleet of sports cars. The criteria for everyone is subjective.

 

[The BLJ]

Blissfulness and peace. Being religious, I am convinced that there are things that people seek that will never give them this blissfulness or peace that I am talking about, but I will not go further.

 

[thetrin]

I measure success by my job. Not necessarily the money I make, but how close I am to having my dream job.