Whether or not you view yourself or your work as successful all depends on how you measure success. Sometimes we can be held back from pursuing meaningful work or projects with impact because of the worry of it “not being successful”. But that’s just a block getting in the way of our mission.
Unleash your potential by redefining success with these 3 simple steps:
Step 1: Revisit the typical definition of failure and success.
Let’s broaden the patriarchal ‘value only based on money and numbers sold, or ‘positive attention for me generated‘ and add some others. There is success of completing something substantial, success in reaching some people very deeply (someone once told me my book stopped them from killing themselves and suddenly how many or few I’d sold felt less important), success in all the unknown impact it will have, success in the permission it gives other misfits to offer their gifts, success in the wonderful relationships forged and deepened along the way, success in the immense learning and honing of skills and wisdom gleaned.
There are so many more ways so redefine success outside of the typical narrative. Value doesn’t have to mean what your family, the media or local culture told you. Own it for yourself.
Step 2: Treat your projects like your children.
See your projects as the things which we are devotional TO. They’re not there to GET us anything. When we treat our project as a beautiful and magical creature that we have charge of (like our kids) and choose to be the devotional space around them so they can thrive into their fullest potential then it will always have been time well spent, no matter how richly the world out there receives it when it is released.
However when we mistakenly treat our project as if it’s here to get us something; money, status, attention, then it’s like we’re saddling our creature as if it’s a donkey to carry all our self-esteem issues and money worries up the hill. That’s not its job. So let’s adjust our attitudes to our projects accordingly.
Step 3: Do the inner work required to have an impact on the outer world.
I believe true success comes from walking a twin trail where our success in the world is also giving us our curriculum for our inner lives. We do the work inside so that we can do the work outside and vice versa. Take a vow to work with the anxiety and vulnerability of putting yourself out there, embracing the growth that comes with getting outside of your comfort zone.
If you’d consider it a waste of time if it doesn’t bring you money and worldly success when it’s done then I really wouldn’t bother doing it.
It’s up to us to define what success and value means to us, both for our own enjoyment of the creative process and to fill the world with more liberating perspectives and enriching possibilities.
I believe true success comes from walking a twin trail where our success in the world is also giving us our curriculum for our inner lives.
I work with individuals in all fields to become the best version of themselves, unhindered or blocked by limiting beliefs, old habits, small thinking or past failures. Find out more about how I do this here jamiecatto.com/coaching-mentoring .
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