Success

Success has a Very Personal Definition

I recently spoke to a group of business owners. All of them in the construction industry and in varied stages of maturity. The common theme was their desire to grow their businesses. Before we dug into financial topics or the need for efficient systems, I asked a simple question. How do you define success? A simple question but often a difficult one to answer.

The room got quiet, nobody really wanted to be the first to answer. I reminded them that there are no right or wrong answers. I joked that I didn’t care how they define success. I do care. I care that they define what success would be for them individually. I explained the importance of identifying their meaning of success as part of the goal setting process. My role as a coach is to help clients identify, strive for, and achieve success while being a trusted partner and advisor.

This same question is equally relevant to you, whether you are a business owner, are new to the industry, or are nearing the end of your career. The important element is to, every so often, think about your personal definition of success. If you have done this in the past, when was the last time you checked in to see if that definition is still resonant?

You are not your job title.

We easily fall into the trap of overidentifying who we are with what we do. Entering into a conversation with someone new the question flows fluidly: So, what do you do? Hopefully, the interaction goes beyond the surface. However, it is important to think about what personal success means for you. It might be saving up to buy a house, or supporting a local charity (or NAWIC chapter!), or taking that pottery class, or going on a family vacation. It is important to recognize there is success beyond the workplace.

Don’t just survive, thrive.

We often adopt others’ definition of success and what is expected. Full disclosure, I’ve been there too. Looking back, those might have been the most miserable professional experiences in my career. I was never comfortable. I got halfway through an advanced degree in Civil Engineering before abandoning the effort. I hated it and realized that the technical path was not for me. Identifying what will feel like success – leading and developing others, acquiring new skills, mentoring younger professionals – is central to the feeling that you are truly thriving and delivering value. Don’t let someone else define your success or drive career decisions.

Organizational psychologists remind us that money is not the same as success. It’s the easy measuring stick but just having more money often means that some of the other areas that are important are left behind. A promotion that comes with a longer work week and puts you on-call 24/7 might be the furthest from your personal definition of success.

What is your definition of success?

Michael Riegel MRiegel@AECBusinessStrategies.com https://michaelriegel.substack.com/

516-238-0859