For me, success was always about the title. It was about the accomplishment. It was about how many people I managed or how big my budget was — whatever it was that I thought other people would be impressed by.
It’s our ego that drives that type of need, and to that wants to label success that way.
There’s a spirit side of us that knows what real success is about: are we HAPPY? Are we FULFILLED? Did we do all this stuff, climbing the success ladder, and we get to the top and we’re still not any better? We don’t feel any different because it was outward focused. It was about what other people would think of us.
I’m starting to realize that success is about asking, ‘how do I FEEL? How FULFILLED am I? How PURPOSEFUL am I? Am I using my gifts and talents in the best way? Am I SATISFIED? Am I content with where I am?’
I always had this yearning to be better or to do something different. When’s the next job? What is it? I don’t have that longing anymore, and it’s such a relief not to have that urge to do more– to be promoted, to do something different. I’m relieved to not have a title to lead with, as hard as that was for me when I started Darienne Inc. and wasn’t completely sure what I did or what my services were.
When we are in operating in our lane, we are the best for our companies. And when I work with people, a lot of the time it’s to help them to realign that lane. How much great work are you doing? How much work when you’re in that zone, when you forget what time it is, and how much is in the not-so-good work?
So today, I believe that success is more about my well-being, my level of contentment, my feelings about life and commitment and community and connection, and those things that really matter.
By looking at what’s important to me first, I’ve shifted where I put my energy, and thought you might want to think about success in this way too.
Women’s Leadership Coaching with Darienne
If you’re ready to discover how you can define success in your own life, contact me today to get started with women’s leadership coaching.