Definition of Success

 After talking about the buildings he owned and the deals he just struck, the arrogant young man asked what my greatest achievement was. 

If I were a poor man, I would have told him about providing for my family and bonding with life long friends, as a poor man's success is often in the power of relationships and connections. 

 As a rich man, I would speak of my cars, houses, buildings and businesses, because a rich man's success is measured in the objects he accumulates. 

Stoic wisdom and ethral connection to the universe would be the spiritual man's motivation as he recounts the time he met God. 

What would you have answered? 

It's a tough question to answer if you are not clear on what success means to you. 

So, here's a little exercise to guide you. Take pen and paper and set a timelimit on a stopwatch for 30 seconds. Start the timer and write down 3 goals for yourself before the time expires. 

Did you do that? 

Now, put each goal under one of the following headings: 

 - freedom 

 - meaning 

 - wealth 

Whether you pick them in 30 seconds or 30 days, chances are high that your goals will fit under each of these headings. You probably have one goal under each heading. 

What does that mean? When we select our goals, our unconscious desire, our intrinsic motivation wants us to be free, have meaning in life and enough money, health and connection to be happy. 

It seems that our intrinsic or unconscious definition for success is to have enough money, health and wisdom, setting us free to do something meaningful.