New Definitions of Success: What’s Yours?

In the first installment of this series, the idea of “Defining Your Own Ladder” was discussed. The focus was on tradition vs. today: how has the definition of success changed, and how does this impact Millennials?

Today, this topic will become more individualized by asking: what’s your definition of success? The modern job market is beginning to allow for more personalized “career ladders;” from bloggers to young entrepreneurs, self-defined career paths are the becoming the new norm. By challenging the status quo and honing in on what really works for you when it comes to your career, your own ladder to success becomes just that: your own.

Now, how can you determine your own definition of success? How do you define and build your own career ladder, and climb this to reach your self-determined goals?

Perhaps most important is understanding what makes you feel most accomplished. What drives you? Are you fueled by the feeling of relief after nailing a tough presentation? Are you happy with the comfort of an everyday routine that you’ve mastered? Whatever your feelings may be, what drives you is personal. Ultimately, it’s up to you, and because of that, so is your definition of success. Being able to translate what really gets you going, career-wise, into your ladder to success, makes every step you take that much more personalized and true to you.

Next, think about your ultimate goal feeling. By this I mean: when you’ve achieved your goal (whatever it may be), how do you want to feel? Do you want to feel fueled? Content? Tired yet satisfied? Driven for more? Deciding how you ultimately want to feel is a perfect starting point when determining how to get there. Your emotional response to success can aid in pinpointing exactly what steps you want to climb on your personal ladder. What are you willing to do? How do you want to feel? What challenges do you want to face? All of these questions become relevant to achieving your ultimate goal feeling.

Finally, look at your self-defined ladder from a few varying perspectives. What does it look like compared to the traditional career ladder? How is it different than what your parents may have experienced? Is it the same as your friends? What about across different industries?

Comparing and contrasting your ladder to others’ is not done with the purpose of deciding if yours is “normal;” rather, it’s to show that your ladder is not the same as any one other person’s, which makes it that much more unique to your goals and desired successes. So what if your ladder is different than tradition? That’s the point!

As a Millennial, you have the freedom and capabilities to take accountability for your own growth. By defining and climbing your own ladder, you do just that.

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