Success is a very personal thing. For some people it means money; for others, love; and still others, happiness. That’s why you need to define success for yourself. Otherwise, how will you know whether or not you’ve achieved it?
Forming your own definition of success takes a combination of philosophies and ideologies. You need the mental food and exercises that others provide. You need to open your mind to different alternatives. You need to learn to appreciate the other side of the debate so you can strengthen and defend your own views.
You’ve got to listen to a variety of speakers and read a variety of books. No one speaker or one book has all the answers for you. You need a variety of influences. You need a variety of books in your library. You need a variety of voices.
And here’s what else you need. You need a variety of perspectives. Personal points-of-view can be so valuable. Somebody says, “Have you seen it from this perspective?” And you haven’t, so you step over there to where they are and look at things from their point-of-view. You can then say, “My gosh, I never thought about it from this perspective. It’s so different. No wonder you think the way you do!”
Take advantage of all that’s available in terms of mental food and mental exercise. Always be eager to learn. No matter how far along you are in your journey, no matter where you are in your success, keep that eagerness to learn. Gather up as much knowledge as you can. And then what? Debate it. Put it all on the table and look at it. Dissect it. Turn it around and stare at it. Ask questions. Make statements. Don’t take it for granted that one person has all the answers you’re looking for. Take that person’s knowledge, but don’t take it as the only knowledge.
Make sure that what you finally do is a product of your own conclusion. That’s what’s valuable. Don’t just go do what someone says without debating it. Consider the source, and then do it your way.
Defining you success is a process unique to each and every one of us. Gather all the knowledge that you can. Then develop your approach based on your own conclusions. You can’t fall for other people’s philosophies, because they may not be right. As you collect knowledge, you must sort through it and find out what’s valuable. Then you can develop your own philosophy of success. And your own philosophy will become the most valuable of your guidance systems: your guiding light.
* Source: Leading an Inspired Life by Jim Rohn