At the end of every episode of the Evolve to Succeed podcast, we ask our guests to tell us their definition of success. As we’re sure you’ll agree, success can mean so many different things, and is also dependant on where you are in your life. What we perceive as success in our twenties is likely to be very different to how we see it in our forties, fifties and sixties.
Whether it’s excelling professionally, raising a family or simply being healthy and content,, success can be all encompassing or defined by a single thing. Ultimately, success is about meaning, and it’s just as elusive, but it’s our pursuit of it that defines our lives.
We’ve had some great answers over the years, which have been written about here and here. Here, though, are the most inspiring definitions of success we’ve heard over the past six months:
Ben Ashton – Co-founder of Good Oaks Home Care
“Studies show that after a certain income level, extra income doesn’t bring anymore happiness; if you were to plot happiness and income, it gets to about £50,000 and then it plateaus off. So, for me, it’s not about a number or a metric, it’s about feeling fulfilled in what you do. And, for me, that comes from enabling other people to share success with me. Hopefully by achieving my goals but I’m helping other people achieve theirs too.”
Safia Qureshi – founder of CLUBZERO
“’What is success?’ is actually a very contentious question, because I think some people immediately assume that it’s to do with money. But, if you have reached your purpose, you will have instant gratitude for the world around you; so, success is fulfilling your purpose. Now, it takes a while to understand what your purpose is—you might find out at a very early age or it might be something revealed to you over a very long time—but when you achieve that purpose you will feel successful. What’s important for me is understanding that I have achieved something that’s much, much bigger than myself and have left something that’s going to create a legacy for others to enjoy, and which has brought value to the planet.”
Jan Cavelle – Entrepreneur and author
“I think the definition can change as you go through life. That’s one of the misconceptions about success—I think we define it in terms of financial success, or possessions or succeeded in goals and everything else. But at one stage in my life, I was chuffed to bits that I could feed my children and keep a roof over our heads. Ultimately, I think it’s important to do what makes you happy, and I think that’s not rated enough.”
Chloe Adams – CEO of The Art Movement
“Finding that balance between moving forward and progressing, and loving where I am. And I’m not always hot on the pulse with that—it’s something that I’m always working on—but I do think as humans we need to progress; that’s a really important part of feeling satisfied in life, feeling that your time on this planet is being well spent. People really suffer in that space of feeling like they’re not progressing, but I think people also suffer in a place of thinking they’re not progressing fast enough, or trying to get away from where they are, thinking that when they do, everything will be okay. I don’t agree with that; I want to be happy where I am, while also being excited about where I’m going.”
Craig Mathie – MD of the Bournemouth 7’s Festival
“It’s about collective achievement; it’s about team; it’s about as many people around you that are involved in your journey feeling motivated and positive about the world in which they operate. I don’t really qualify my success personally, I qualify it based on the teams and groups of people that I’m involved with—how have we achieved things together? And, ultimately it’s about staying standing when stuff knocks you down.”
Matt Desmier – Business engagement and knowledge exchange manager for the faculty of media and communication at Bournemouth University
“Success is freedom to work on projects that excite; success is the ability to surround myself with interested, like-minded, enthusiastic people; success is seeing my kids blossom, and knowing that there is going to be a world or a job for them to inhabit.”
Richard North – Co-founder and CEO of Wow! Stuff
“I hope I never reach a point where I think, ‘That’s it—I’m now successful.’ I hope there’s always something else to keep going for; I hope I can help other people. Success is part of an ongoing journey without an arrival.”