What Does Success Mean To You?

Get an education. Become a lawyer, doctor, get a cool career! Marry Prince/Princess Charming. Buy that nice big house. Have the perfect kids. These are some of the wishes that moms and dads often want for their children to Jolt them to success or to Restart. But I have always stressed that you should not let anyone define what success means to you. It’s entirely your decision.

Brian Tracy asked the question “What Does Success Mean to You?” Responses came in Opaque forms including:

• Doing what I want when I want and helping others so that they can to help themselves
• The highest level of success is happiness
• Do the right thing and be a great person or human being
• Not caring if it is Monday or Friday. Loving every day of the week the same. Having a good relationship with people. Making a difference. Continuously learning and doing more and more to improve yourself as a human being
• Freedom
• Being happy with what you do
• Success is being able to do what I want, when I want and with whom I want with the ability to help and lift up others along the way
• Success is when you have freedom financially, debt free and you see the success of other people through you. Success is not only money–if you are happy in all areas of life and have peace of mind.
• Getting all dreams or aims in life by way of planning and professional development
• Success brings happiness and high satisfaction…smiles
• Success is knowing what you are sent to do and giving it all that’s required to accomplish it. Success is discovering something interesting about your life and going the extra mile to manifest it
• Being able to manage my time and be at places I want with the people I love. But the best part of success is finding our purpose in life and giving it away
• Self development is the key and success will run towards you
• Success is when I’m proud of me
• Starting my own business
• To always focus on my own business
• New birth
• Rewrite my life
• Success means balance to me
• Being able to provide, being at the top of my game doing what I love, my own large home, nice car, decent healthcare cover, happiness
• What I have done compared to what I could have done
• Inspire people to think like me
• Prosperity, peace, and contentment in every area of my life
• Being happy in everything that I do. Feeling loved in my work and trying to see the result of my efforts
• To be free with this what I love. Helping!
• My definition of success…my family

Does any of these definitions resonate with you? What’s your own definition?

Do share!

Author: Dr. Shelly

Dr. Shelly Cameron is a leadership strategist, executive coach, and author of 12 nonfiction books, including The GreenLight Factor and Success Strategies of Caribbean American Leaders. She is the creator of the GreenLight Leadership Framework and founder of Global Coaching Corner. She leads the Ignite Caribbean 30 Under 30 Emerging Leaders program. Drawing on over 20 years of global HR leadership experience, she's passionate about helping professionals navigate change and design fulfilling lives through intentional goal setting and self-discovery. Her research was published in the JAABC Business Journal, and she was a featured author for the 2026 Africana Arts & Humanities Festival's 250th celebration. 🎉 A thank-you: SuccessfulLeaders.net just crossed 100,000 views! Grateful for every reader who's made this milestone possible. View all posts by Dr. Shelly