All too often we think about success in linear terms and use society’s metrics - wealth, fame and social status - to measure it. Consequently, this is what many of us strive to attain in life with the hope of achieving prosperity. However, a linear approach seldom gives us the feeling of living life to the fullest and individuals who have achieved these can remain under the impression of having to accomplish even more, rather than strengthening other areas of life.
Linear success
As growth minded people we can sometimes become excessively focused on the idea that we only have one single purpose. Life is made out of more than just one facet. A table won't stand with just one leg. Multiple equally long legs are needed to build a solid support system. If all our energy is put solely into one area that is prioritised above everything else, we make ourselves very vulnerable. If things don’t go as planned or circumstances change, our identity can shatter to pieces in an instant. Above all, success can’t be enjoyed when other areas in life, such as health, relationships have been sacrificed as a consequence.
360° success
A 360° success model will give us a solid base that provides us with multi-support systems, keeps us excited about life, as well as strong and balanced when some areas face turbulences. Studies show that well-rounded individuals pursue habits that nurture the areas in life that help them perform at their best, such as exercise, a healthy diet, a positive mindset, goal setting or building strong relationships.
Being well and content overall will lead to better long-term performance and will help us continuously grow in every aspect of life. Getting into the habit of finding purpose in many areas and stop putting our entire passion and self-worth into one thing can be hugely liberating.
It encourages us to plan our definition of success with personal core values in mind and ensures we prioritise these sectors to achieve fulfilment on multiple levels.
Doing this will keep our focus on the goals that contribute to our internal sense of happiness and make sure we won’t get distracted by external validations.
No one on their death bed would say “I should have worked more overtime", or "I should have bought this expensive item”. These might create a short-term sense of achievement, but they are rarely linked to more meaningful purposes.
Defining our key areas
Identifying our key areas in life will give us guidance for our actions. It will keep us focused, feed us with energy, excitement as well as purpose. Since everyone has different values, these key areas need to be identified and tailored to each individual.
Below are examples of common focus points which can be used to draw inspiration from and altered to create a more personalised model.
A professional Life Coach can give you support in this process, make sure you set the right goals and guide you on your journey of building a life full of meaningful achievements.
The idea is to only work on one area at a time and slowly expand out to others. The improvements will rub off onto the other facets along the way and create a snowball effect of 360° progress.
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