Courage, Clarity, and Confidence

15Redefining Success

What is success?

Who determines it?

Working with my clients, the goal is to help them advance in their career, whether it's a career pivot to a new industry, a job search for a new role, or a promotion within their current career field. Maybe it's taking a step back, prioritizing wellness, implementing work‐life integration, or taking a big leap. Whatever the goal, the definition of success always comes into the conversation. When we consider success in our careers, we typically point to socioeconomic status and compensation, specifically salary, as the primary metrics. Women want to be successful and be financially well off, but the traditional definitions of success are proving to be unworthy of the costs to obtain it. Costs like damage to our health, personal relationships, mental health, boundaries, and more. So what we need to do is spend time evaluating our own definition of success and pathways to obtain it. When I work with my clients we explore questions such as:

• What is your personal definition of success?
• Who or what influenced your personal definition of success?
• Whose definition of success are you currently pursuing?
• Are your approach and pursuit of success healthy?

I've held space for you to reflect on and explore those questions below. Use this section jot down your immediate responses to each of those questions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Defining Success, a Personal Definition

During a coaching session with a client recently, we tackled the question, ...