I’ve been pondering the question of what success looks like for me. It is somewhat challenging – easier to work out what it isn’t. I know it isn’t more money, or to be busier. It is certainly not to have an immaculate house and garden (LOL) or to win a race. Well behaved children seems a good goal, but in reality happy, fulfilled children feels like a better measure of success.
What sort of day do you feel is successful? How do you measure success in your work? Is it when you have completed your workload and got out the door on time? Is it when you have used your skills to make a difference to someone? How about when you have had all your knowledge and skills recognised by a pay rise or promotion?
Often it comes down to your values. When you consider what you value most what comes to mind? Identifying our core values is helpful in giving us a touch-stone for measuring our life.
I’ve recently found this free website that helps you to identify your life values. “The Life Values Inventory Online was developed to help individuals and organizations clarify their values and serve as a blueprint for effective decision-making and optimal functioning.” What I particularly like about this tool is that it can help with aligning your most important values with your daily occupations. When you are effectively managing your life and environment in such a way that you are able to express and action your most important values you feel a sense of satisfaction and success.
When you can align your day to your values you are much more likely to feel success. It may not always be what your manager, employer, colleague or client value, but it is still important as your values tap into your motivation and your sense of achievement and satisfaction.
One way to align your day is to start with your MITs and make sure they reflect your most important values. I have explained about MITs (most important things) in this blog.
One of my values is having Space, and I measure my day by whether I have been productive enough to get what I want and need done, in order to create space. No mean feat with four children.
So I’d love to hear what success looks like for you. Are you feeling an alignment between your values and actions?
If this seems too overwhelming you might want to check out my on-line course “Emerge From Overwhelm” for practical tools to manage your everyday. Here is what one participant had to say: “It has been great to learn there are strategies that I can use that will help, instead of the same old defaults.” OT, Whangarei
