Often, in our society, success is measured in one way—money. Our worth is based on how much we make, how far up the ladder we’ve risen, and how expensive our homes and cars are. This can lead us on a constant chase for the next best job, promotion, and ladder rung. We can spend our entire lives chasing a measure of success that may not even align with our values. Being a success is about more than just monetary value, it is also dependent on your internal values. You can have the highest paying job in the world, with the most perks, but none of that matters if you are unhappy. If you’re looking to be defined by more than just how many zeroes are in your bank account, read on for eleven other ways you can measure your success.
#1 Your Income Doesn’t Rule Your Life
After working hard for your money a sign of success is when you get to a point without worry. By saving up and living below your means you can have the financial freedom that comes when you don’t live paycheck to paycheck. Though you may not run out and grab the first Rolex you see, you do have enough money to last until the end of the month or the next month. With this financial stability, many money woes are not yours. To capitalize on your financial stability, creating an emergency fund will ensure you have enough money should something unforeseen and unfortunate happen.
#2 Praise Isn’t Needed
As you grow older, you may have outgrown the need for constant praise. You know that high-quality work is expected and it is your job to deliver. Being patted on the back or getting a star is no longer a part of your reality. You take pride in your work and receive internal rewards that include the satisfaction of knowing you did your best job.
#3 Less Drama
Back when you were a teen you may have been a participant in a lot of drama. Maybe you were involved in arguments at school or enjoyed them. As you’ve aged, you may find your life has gotten a lot quieter, both externally and internally. You may have learned to quiet the nerves that used to course through your body and different methods to practice making conscious choices to promote harmony in your life.
#4 Planning Is Your Middle Name
Planning ahead is an excellent sign of success. Building structure in your life and long-term goals is a sign of future success. You aren’t where you started, you are where you go. Many people don’t have plans for the future and spend their lives in the present or the past. Just by writing down your goals and working every day towards them, you are setting your life up to reflect what you want.
#5 You Want More
When you enter a situation and you want more from it, you are closer to success than you think. A desire for more knowledge and the drive to take action are two signs of a person who is focused on bettering themselves. You aren’t content to take what you get, you will change the situation to improve it for yourself and others.
#6 Morning Person
You wake up early, ready to begin tackling that daily success list you’ve created. You know that getting up early gives you more time to get more done. While others may get up at noon, you are well aware that if you get up at 5 am, you will have already been productive for seven hours by the time the other person even wakes up. Seizing the morning is an excellent sign of an ambitious personality and internal drive to succeed.
#7 A Social Chameleon
The ability to relate to many different kinds of people is a sure sign you cultivate healthy relationships and are able to draw people to you. When you can empathize with others and meet them on a human level you will be able to draw people to you to help support your success. This ability can also show you have a pleasant personality, as people don’t continue hanging around poisonous personalities.
#8 You Are Respectful
Everyone has difficulties. You know the importance of respecting everyone, no matter their age. Like you, everyone wants to be heard and respected for who they are. You don’t have to think about being respectful, it is a long-established habit you use without a second thought.
#9 Forward Is The Only Direction You Understand
Having a driven personality is your default. Working hard is your longest goal. Each day you wake up with a calloused mind, hardened from all of the ideas you have been implementing. You know that dreams don’t come down from the sky without hours upon hours of pulling them down to Earth and shaping them. Your engine is always on and difficulties are seen as opportunities to better yourself.
#10 Your Self-discipline Is Stronger Every Day
Success, in any endeavor, is impossible without self-discipline. The only person who can make you show up is yourself. When you come to your goals each day, ready to mold them into your dreams you are on the path to success. Self-discipline helps you make fewer mistakes and not repeat the past.
#11 Patience Is Your True North
A big factor in success is the ability to delay gratification. Focusing on the long-term reward rather than the short-term will benefit your health, finances, relationships, and self-worth. Impatience is often the default for those who have short-term goals.
You don’t need stacks of money to be successful. If you exhibit most of these traits, you have already reached success. Continue what you’re doing and keep these tips in mind if you ever doubt your greatness. Being successful is a mindset, not a number.
