To be truly successful, you must enjoy your life.

Success is not going to bring you happiness if you measure it by the wrong criteria for you.

Having lots of money but no time to enjoy it will not bring happiness. Financial rewards do not mean you are successful in life. It’s vital to know yourself to know what matters to you.

How do You Measure Success?

The measures you use are important. If you measure success by money then you will strive for it, or you’ll feel a failure if you don’t have ‘enough’. On the other hand if you measure success by the amount of time you spend with friends, then you are more likely to work at developing and maintaining friendships.

Choose your measures wisely as they determine how you feel.

How to Choose Your Measures

Spend time looking at yourself and the things you value, or enjoy, in life. Think about how much time or energy you’re willing to put into each thing.

Consider your traits when choosing. If, for example, a neurodiversity means you don’t mix well with people, then trying to changing this trait is unlikely to be easy. You may decide that using energy to spend time with groups of people is detrimental to you feeling successful. Perhaps look at spending quality time with someone you value.

I enjoy spending time in nature. I walk and I cycle, sometimes a drive in the countryside is enough.

I know that these activities take time, so I plan for them. I am willing to trade some financial reward for quality time. This helps me feel happy and successful.

Changing Over Time

Priorities change in our lives. If you figure out your priorities and values don’t assume that they will always remain the same. Check in with yourself regularly. Keep your self-knowledge up to date. Check in after big life events but also on a regular basis, say annually.

Knowing yourself as you grow, and change, will keep you on the path of true happiness and genuine success. This helps avoid the emptiness you feel after the fleeting feeling of minor successes that don’t fit with your long term values.