Success Verses a Successful Life

What makes a person a success? We are such a performance driven culture. I make my living as a peak performance coach. And yet, it is your success in life as a whole that means more than any successful performance.

As we draw near the close of the year, it is time to ask - was it a successful year? Did you come closer to the goals that matter to you? Did you make good on your promises to yourself and those around you? Are you living a successful life?

I read "success" books like most people listen to music. I read biographies and autobiographies of "great" people, but I've noticed that even for these, success is easier to come by than a successful life. They may become millionaires but lose their marriage, succeed in business but have children who despise them, succeed in sports or entertainment, yet have addictions that eat them alive. That, my friend, is not a successful life. It is not your inheritance to have public success at the expense of private peace. You can have both.

Today, I encourage you to look at all of your roles. Who are you as a spouse, a friend, a parent, a son or daughter, a sibling, a co-worker, an employee, a boss? How do you want to be remembered under each of these hats? What words would you like to have describe you? Hint - for this exercise you can not use the word "successful." Instead, I recommend quality-of-life words like, "Faithful, joyful, loving, satisfied, generous, fulfilled..." Think of who you want to be when no one is watching. That is authentic success.

Remember finding true success is not a matter of accomplishing some external goal to validate who you are. Rather, it is becoming who you want to be, and in so doing, attracting all of the pieces necessary to live the life of your dreams. You were created to live a life of purpose - a life on purpose. You were meant to be blessed in order to be a blessing. Toiling endlessly is a part of the curse. I choose to rejoice in the blessing purchased on the cross.

Enjoy the little things today. Count out loud, the things that make you smile. As you do, you will realize that your success has been available all along.

Until next time,

Enjoy the journey

Ephesians 1:18
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.