What Does Success Really Mean? A Quote That Will Change Your Perspective Forever

Photo by Guille Álvarez on Unsplash

Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal

Since I coach and train around leadership and success, one day I was intrigued to check what is exactly the definition of success linguistically hoping that I would find something that would add to the success mindset program I was creating.

During this deep state of reading and researching, I stumbled upon a quote by Earl Nightingale, and it felt like finding a treasure. Amazing, succinct and meaningful definition of success that says: “Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal”. I do not know if this definition brings chills in you as it did to me or not. Nevertheless, I thought of sharing the beauty of this definition with you, hoping it will give you a new perspective or at least a fresh reminder about Success and successful being.

Progressive:

Using the word progressive indicates that success is not a one-time event or a single big action. rather than a step following a step improvement towards what you want to be or have. It’s about continuous and cumulative outcomes that would lead you to where you want to be. Sometimes there will be positive outcomes of your effort and other times not as many results, but that does not stop your progression.

Another crucial message of progressive is to know your destination, otherwise you will not be progressively moving towards it. This is all that you need to know really: A destination or a vague image of it. But certainly, you do not need to know how you are going to get there.

Realization:

Yes, the progress we talked about should be towards realizing something, hence the word realization Nightengale used. Simply manifesting your goals and dreams into reality.

Furthermore, Realization also means apprehending, perceiving, and awakening as the journey to success will take you to places you had never thought of. broadening your perception of life and yourself. It’s Never about the result only, it’s about who you become along the way.

Worthy Ideal:

Nightingale used the term “ideal” instead of goal, dream or vision, because it’s personal. What’s ideal for you may not be ideal for someone else. Your ideal should be something worthy and valuable to you, something you deem worth your time, effort and possibly your life.

Do you feel how fulfilling this is?

Fulfilling and meaningful because we are all on different journeys in life, whether we are aware of that or not. Where I started and where I am now is different in my case than in yours. Often, we are oblivious to this fact.

We think if my colleague is now the CEO somewhere, or rich, or married, then this is where I should be too.

And if I am not, we shame ourselves for not being or achieving what people think we should. Maybe while your peer was busy climbing the company ladder you were busy trying to be alive fighting cancer or maybe your values are just different than your friends’ who wanted to be a stay home mom and you wanted to be an authority in a certain field.

Please do not think of success as one mold that fits anyone and everyone.

Also, Success is not just about fortune, status, or accolades. It’s not the high grades or the certifications, although it can be those accomplishments and others, if they were your worthy ideal.

Success is to have, be, accomplish or create what means to you, period.

If you’ve defined your goals and are working toward them, you are successful. 

Therefore, I encourage you today and now to take some time to reflect on your successes and to celebrate them.

My wish for you is to never give up on your dreams until you realize them.

This beautiful quote reminded me of the coaching process. In coaching, the client defines what success looks like to them and what is the ideal that they want to work on and choose their path to attain that ideal. Your coach walks alongside, partnering with you on this journey.

By embracing this broader, more personal view of success, we can create more fulfilling lives for ourselves and support those around us in doing the same.

If you are looking to achieve success or develop a success mindset, let's talk.

I am eager to work with you to succeed in whatever you deem ideal for you.

Love and respect

Coach Lina Ayesh