The Success of Becoming

How to define success

Have you ever thought carefully about your definition of success? I am sure, if you are like me, you have thought about it many, many times. We can easily get caught in the numbers game when we consider success. When it becomes measurable by numbers (instagram followers, sales, money spent on certain items, etc.) our definition becomes highly unstable as our success will always be tied to a number most often one we can work towards but not completely control.

This occurred to me today as I was trying desperately to take a good picture with my iphone. Every attempt failed and for an hour and a half I posed in different angles trying to work with the light. This was picture was the result. (I know... I know... not amazing.)

I was disappointed with working so long and not seeing any result. I had an idea of what I wanted to talk about on the journal and Instagram and then I couldn't get the right picture. Then I realized something better. You have to become a message before you have a message. What I mean is this- so often we see people around us with large followings and outward signs of success. It is so easy to compare ourselves now. Peel back the curtain and look- are they the people they say they are or that they present themselves as?

What if success actually looked like becoming? Instead of thinking "I will be successful when I have 100K followers on Instagram, make 250K annually, own a designer bag, etc." what if we switched our mind to think success would actually mean that I become the message that I am meant to carry. That I am fully present in my own person. That I own my mistakes. That I empower others around me. That my success isn't dependent upon the failure of another person.

Maybe that door, that dream, that wish that we have been waiting for hasn't happened yet because we haven't yet become. I am not suggesting that it is that far away or that we have to wait for perfection. I don't believe in perfect. What I am suggesting though is that in the waiting we focus on becoming more than succeeding.

So ask yourself today, what can I do today to get one step closer to becoming? Then ask how can I let go of my expectation of succeeding and realize that my becoming is the greatest success- even if no one sees it.