Redefining Success: Writing & Playing By Your Own Rules

If you're done with the paradigm of "success" that values money and power - the one that's stressing, burning, and tiring you out - you'll be totally inspired and empowered by this:



"Don’t buy society’s definition of success," Arianna Huffington said. "Because it’s not working for anyone. It’s not working for women, it's not working for men, it's not working for polar bears, it's not working for the cicadas that are apparently about to emerge and swarm us. It's only truly working for those who make pharmaceuticals for stress, diabetes, heart disease, sleeplessness and high blood pressure."

Success has largely been determined by money and power, she explains, but we need a third metric, one based on "well-being, wisdom, our ability to wonder, and to give back."

I am all about this! I think Huffington is right on. I'm elated that women with the wisdom, well-being, wonder, and ability to give back are the ones giving commencement speeches in 2013. Women are changing the world. Her ideas and vision for the future are right in alignment with mine.

Here's what the third metric of success means to me:

Well-being - taking exceptional care of ourselves, nourishing and doing what best serves ourselves first so that we may then nourish and serve others', practicing and enriching our sense of worthiness, happiness, belonging, love and safety

Wisdom - tuning into and listening to our intuitive common sense, understanding ourselves in relation to the greater whole, awareness and consciousness of ourselves and our ways of being

Wonder - looking at all facets of life, the world, and ourselves, with fascination, curiosity, gratitude, and humbleness, cultivating our beginner's mind, and a child's openness and joy

Giving Back - standing for and in your Truth, which gives others permission to do the same, being generous with what you have, supporting the causes and people you believe in, putting your energy (money, time, attention) towards the things that feed you back

What else do you see here? What defines success and a successful life to you?

Please join the conversation by commenting below! When we engage with these deeper questions, we begin to create the experience of reality that we want. We CAN write our own rules into the mix.