How Do You Measure Success?

I’ve had the pleasure of working with all kinds of people over the last fifteen years.

After all this time, I still get surprised, depending on whom you talk to, how life and success are measured so differently.

Each person has his or her own hierarchy on what they feel is important and what things portray success in life. 

Here is a list of items I have collected over the years of some perceived success indicators:

1. The amount of money I have in my bank account

2. Where I live and what kind of car I drive

3. Family heritage

4. Number of actual friends

5.Number of friends on Facebook

6.Job title

7. Awards and/or honorable mentions

8. Days in a row I fasted

9. Days in a row I detoxed/dieted/ate completely vegan

10. Days in a row I was able to live in a space of peaceful bliss

11. Number of people I gave Sh*t to just over the last month, proving that I am reclaiming my voice

12. Number of consecutive hours I prayed/meditated/practiced Yoga

13. The amount of invitations I got for the holiday season

14. How many exotic trips I went on last year

15. Popularity and good looks of partner

16. Number of times my cat/dog/hamster declared his or her love for me by licking my face just before breakfast

17. Number of people I assisted last week

18. Dollar amount spent on charitable functions

19. Again, I have the best “worked out body” in the gym

20. Winning competitions

21. Being a good team player

22. I was parent/teacher of the year

23. The ability to grow orchids and other rare plants

24. Amount of acting jobs booked in 2012

25. Proximity to celebrities

26. Popularity of spiritual guru

27. Number of people that are in love with me

28. Number of marriage proposals

29. How many bestsellers I read last year

30. VIP treatment at local restaurant/bar/golf club

As you read through this list, do some of the items of how people measure success reflect your own? Do other ones seem silly to you? Take a moment to honestly evaluate how you measure success in yourself and others.

Now, if you put your items on a list and ask yourself if they hold up in the face of soul contracts, spiritual evolution and the organic, at times, messy and chaotic life on planet earth, you might find that it is time to overhaul the way you measure success.

Here are some of the ways I measure success these days (list is still a work in progress):

1. Did I do the best I could in the situation?

2. Am I using the situation as an opportunity to heal/grow/learn?

3. Am I fully present with the people around me?

4. Am I following my heart/intuition/divine guidance by making this decision?

5. Did I find a healthy balance between work and play over the last month?

6.Is my lifestyle allowing me to optimize my health; mind/body and soul?

7. Are my boundaries in the proper place?

8. Can I speak my truth in the face of criticism?

9. Did I apply the right amount of diplomacy in this situation of disagreement?

10. Am I taking full responsibility for my stuff while not taking on the projections of others?

11. If I died today, is there anything I’d regret?

How does this list resonate with you?

As always, use your discernment and figure out what items work for you and freely add or subtract.

It is normal and human to look for guidelines as to where we stand and how we are doing. Make sure your measuring devices still work for you and support your divine plan for this life. But really, how many lives do you want to spend building castles that you have to leave behind, because as you might have noticed (as an old/ancient soul), the line "hey that used to be mine!" makes you look like a nut job when you want to reclaim that castle in a new body and as far as I know, that never worked for anyone. (Well maybe for some highly evolved reincarnations of important Lamas when their disciples come looking for them!)

Anyway, this might be a good motivation to work on things you get to take with you and to maximize every moment you have to the best of its potential.

Have fun and good luck!