I Will Be Successful When…

When you are a little kid, adults often ask you what you wanted to be when you grow up. It is such a loaded question, especially when you’ve barely experienced the world. As you get older, you may have an idea what you want to be when you grow up. In fact, you make take tangible steps to achieve that goal such as find an entry-level position in that field or go to college.

Yet somewhere in the back of our minds there is a little nagging voice that says “I will be successful when.” Is it when I get promoted? When I graduate college? When I land my dream job? When I make a certain salary?

The thing is, the bar for success should constantly move, so we can be motivated to work harder, learn more, and live our best life. Because does success always equal happiness and fulfillment? Not exactly.

Success can be this nebulous thing, an inkling, a gut feeling, that we work toward. Perhaps we reach it, but then what is next? You’ve probably seen cartoons of a dog chasing a car. What does he do when the metal bumper is in his mouth? Nothing.

Celebrate the Small Successes

There is nothing wrong with goals. We need goals in our lives. However, goals should be motivators to help us continue to be successful and get to the next level. Achieving goals shouldn’t be the benchmark of “success” or happiness. If that were the case, we’d rarely take a moment to celebrate the small successes.

Happiness is cultivated through gratitude. When you celebrate your “small” successes, you may realize they are not that small after all.

— Kristie Clayton

HERverse Founder
#HERthoughts