i'm a blogger, wordpress designer, and momma living in southeastern pennsylvania. i've got a serious penchant for handmade goods, telling stories, solving problems, and connecting people.
Instead of my usual fine art feature today, Tara has asked me to say a few words about success.
So let’s start with a simple question. Who gets to decide whether or not I am a success? The answer is you. No one else can determine your successes or failures, and you shouldn’t let them.
Why? Because we all define success differently. Success for me, may not be success for you, and vice versa. So why hold yourself to someone else’s standards? I can only speak from my own experiences, but for me success is happiness. Its not about how much money you have, or the amount of people you are able to make jealous of your job, house, cars, etc. Its about how you feel about you: your self and your life.
Of course, the term is typically described as accomplishing your goals…whatever those goals may be. And I agree with that as well. This mindset definitely plays a part in what success can mean to you. When you accomplish the things that you set out to do, it makes you feel good to complete them. So, why not set yourself up for success, and happiness at the same time, by setting attainable goals (even mini-goals would be good)? Each time you accomplish something small on your list of goals, you’ll feel good about yourself and what you do. Making you feel, and in fact actually becoming, successful all on your own.
Image Credit: Success Watercolor print by Stephanie Corfee
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you can find brittni working towards her own success at her curated, virtual marketplace, paper n stitch. she also writes a fine companion blog.
This post has 6 comments
January 25th, 2010
Yes! Very wise and true words. Also, if you base success on your own definition, you are in control of your success, rather than letting others define – and control – your success. This is exactly what I needed to hear today, Brittni, thank you!
January 25th, 2010
Wow great article love this!
mary
January 25th, 2010
Like Brenda above, just the words I needed to hear. Been thinking a lot about success lately–how will I know when I get there? Does it mean money? Fame? 5,000 page views? For me, success is a very individual idea; the fact that I ever even had the courage to start my business, let alone keep at it after 3 years, is success to me, whether I’m making a living as a full-time artist yet or not (but would be nice!)
I agree it helps to break things down into smaller chunks–this weekend I had a goal of coming up with 2 new designs–just making them. Usually my goal includes the making, photographing, listing, blogging, twittering…blah blah–and I can never do it. By having a smaller goal, I was able to do it, with more sanity, and feel much better about myself and my biz come this morning when I went into the ‘day’ job.
Thanks for the good words!
Cari
January 25th, 2010
Brittni, this article was really inspiring. Happiness is right! Thank you. One of the best parts of my week is when accomplish the goals I’ve written on my list, even if they are small, I get to scratch them off the list with a big sharpie! It feels so good!
January 26th, 2010
Love it! I kind of blogged my take on this today, and by my own standards I am living a very successful life!
February 20th, 2010
I think we all struggle with what “success” really is. Brittni is right about one thing, success is measured differently by all of us. Success to me is when I come up against a challenge that takes me out of my “comfort zone” and I don’t give up, I keep moving through the challenge until I have completed the task, not always without errors but, we truly learn from our mistakes.
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