How Do You Define Success?
What is success? What does it look like? Is success defined by the car you drive? Warren Buffet drives a 2014 Cadillac XTS not a Rolls Royce or a Lamborghini. Does the size and location of your house define success? Elon Musk the wealthiest person on the planet, at the time of this writing, just sold all his houses and moved into a tiny house on the grounds of Tesla. Does money make people happy? If so how would one explain two of the wealthiest people in the world; Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos both getting recently divorced?
External vs. Internal Success
These are examples of external success. The things we’ve conditioned to use to judge whether or not someone is successful in life. Internal success is achieved when you are able to wake up in the morning happy to go off to accomplish your goals. Internal success is achieved when you are able to come home in the evening to your family with a smile on your face and share the experiences of the day. Internal success is ultimately achieved when you are thankful for what you have and have not succumbed to the disease of more.
Isn’t More Always Better?
Don’t get me wrong, I am not espousing some socialist agenda. I am a proud capitalist. Enough politics right there, just want to make sure the message is clear. You should write out your goals after careful thought and make a conscious decision about what you want and what you are willing to give for it.
There is a cost for every goal you have. What are you willing to give or give up to achieve your goal. You might decide that you want to be healthier. That requires giving up laying on the couch eating snacks and may require you to go to the gym three times a week, walk 10,000 steps per day, and eat healthy food. Almost everybody wants that goal. Not everybody wants to get big like Arnold Schwarzenegger or Lou Ferrigno.
Is Every Company A Unicorn In The Making?
A Unicorn is a Company with a valuation of $1 Billion. In the systems integration business there a few. Defining what a business is worth and taking it public or selling it to a private equity firm for many years in the industry was the topic of conversation. There were going to be lots of mergers to build a super big company then sell it off for many multiples. I can think of one that has accomplished this.
So What Is Your Goal?
It all depends upon what you want. What is the perfect size company that provides the income level you want each year, allows you to work the number of hours you want to so that you can spend time with your family, and has the quantity of employees that you are comfortable managing?
I talk to lots of systems integrators every day. Some are happy at a size between six to twelve. Others are happy keeping it real small with themself and a couple of installers. It makes them happy to be out in the field getting their hands dirty so to speak. Still others are looking to build something larger in hopes of selling the company and retiring at some point or passing it down to the next generation.
Where To Start?
First decide what you want and what you are willing to give or give up to get it. Then set your Goals! Goals! Goals! How much income will provide you with the lifestyle you and your family need, want, and desire? Understanding these principles will lead you to internal success and happiness.
After all, happiness is the ultimate realization of success. Choose Joy!
