Success Mindset
Define success on your own terms instead of by comparison.
By James Schramko
Success is personal. It means something different to you compared to others.
This is why you might want to avoid falling into the trap of comparing. When you compare yourself to others, you lack context.
They had a different upbringing, different parents, different geo location, different work experiences, they have different genetics and even luck, etc... It's just not possible to compare oranges with apples.
Benchmarking is ok when you get inspired but if social media causes you to feel down or unmotivated or angry... know that this is what you are doing. You are making an impossible comparison.
Be sure to set your OWN version of what success looks like. Success is not something your parents told you, it's not what your peer group defines for you. It is what YOU choose.
Dean Jackson had a nice list called: "I know I'm successful when". What was on that list was relevant to HIM.
Make your own.
Grab a moment and think about these:
How do you know when you are being successful?
What does it look like?
How much $$$ is enough?
Why is this important to you?
What will you be able to do when you achieve the goal that you cannot do now?
What level do YOU want for:
- Income
- Profit
- Investments
- Time availability
- Relationships
- Health
- Friendships
- Family
- Spiritual
- Soul
- Skills
- Assets
- Personal skills / growth
- Fun
- Happiness
Dig deep and ask yourself if you are leaving life on the table to chase the dollars?
When you review an activity, filter it out:
- Does it make you happy?
- Is it worth it?
- Is it required?
If you are drifting: what gets you super excited?
Remember if you are chasing a horizon, there will always be more, you will never have enough.
When you have achieved your basic needs, dial in more JOY factor. Do stuff that makes you excited like a child again.
Play. (I surf. But that's on MY list. You do your own.)
What are the inflexible rules for success for you?
Here are a few core items I put on my checklist a few decades ago:
- Awareness and focus
- Drink clean water
- Eat well
- Sleep well
- Vision the future
- Daily movement
- Improve skill
In the more recent years I'd add: gratitude and family to that.
Exercise: The $100M Question
Ask yourself: What would you do if you woke up tomorrow with $100M in your bank account? This helps reveal your true desires, free from financial pressure.
Which projects would you pursue?
What activities would fill your days?
This exercise exposes what really matters to you.
Understanding Your Ikigai
Success isn't just about wealth; it's about fulfillment. Ikigai, a Japanese concept, is an idea around getting into a joyful flow state doing what you love.
It's perfectly fine, and highly rewarding, to work on projects that excite and energize you even beyond the Western notion of 'retirement'.
Let's face it, you are likely not the type to sit back and do nothing.
Your feelings about this?
Activity Iceberg
Activity Iceberg™
Activity Iceberg™ is a new concept I developed that encourages you to take the time to think and plan before taking action.
This concept can be used in any area of your life, whether it's in business, personal relationships, or any other area. The idea is to take the time to stop and think about what you're doing. Take the time to plan, research, draft, and edit your ideas before taking action.
The core idea is that most people spend a lot of time doing and less time thinking. Rushed actions without much thought or preparation can result in suboptimal results.
Stephen Covey had a habit number 7 - Sharpen the Saw. Sharpen the Saw means preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have, which is you. It means having a balanced program for self-renewal in the four areas of your life: physical, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual.
As you renew yourself in each of the four areas, you create growth and change in your life.
Albert Einstein said "If I had an hour to solve a problem I'd spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions."
In that line of thinking - I have placed a focus on thinking.
I invest most of my time thinking through situations.
Then I conduct research to hone in on ideas.
After that, I draft a first pass solution.
Next, I edit the draft to refine it into an action plan.
I take action.
Later I review it with the benefit of hindsight and adjust.
Most people only see the last stages - doing and tuning. Hence the iceberg. The rest happens out of sight.
Even developing this concept involved these steps. I hope you convert some of your time from action to thinking this week and make it a habit.