This is The New Success Metric
Do you know what success looks like to you?
Success is really tricky because, depending on who you are, you will define it differently.
While I might define it as having financial freedom, you might define it as having 5 million dollars specifically.
And then the guy worth 100 million dollars will cringe at the thought of only having 5 million to his name.
It is very important to define what success means to you before you strive for it. Otherwise, you’ll be taking shots on an invisible net.
So, while you are trying to figure out what success should mean to you, let me tell you what I believe the new metric should be…
It’s all about having “enough”.
What does that even mean?
I realize I may have just given you a dilemma and replaced it with another dilemma.
To clear this up, let’s start by getting into how you figure out what enough is.
Enough depends on your living situation.
If you live in New York, enough will be a lot more than if you live in Regina. Because to get by, you require more.
If you are a single man, enough will be a lot less than someone with 4 kids.
Okay, you get what I mean.
The goal here is to come up with a number where, if you hit it, you would be able to solely focus on the things that matter most to you.
Why does this matter?
Always striving to get more is addicting, especially as an entrepreneur. You want to keep growing; you want to see what you can do.
If your mission aligns with this, then this may not be a bad thing.
For example, if you run SpaceX because you want to go to Mars, then there isn’t really a dollar amount you need to have enough. The mission is what brings you pleasure.
But if you run a plumbing company because you need to make a living, and making this living takes you away from your family, then continuously growing does not really bring you any more happiness.
What would bring you happiness is finally having enough and being able to spend time with your loved ones instead of working 80 hours a week.
Without actually defining what enough is, though, it may mean you end up going way past this point and then end up reaching a point down the road where you look back at life with regret.
What really matters to you?
That is a question you must ask yourself to know what enough is.
What if enough changes?
This is a very good and reasonable question. Simply put, chances are, enough will change.
Let’s say you are 40 years old when you hit “enough”.
As you spend more time with your family and have a bit more downtime, you start to feel a little empty. You want something to work on.
Now, enough is not enough.
This doesn’t have to be a bad thing. In fact, I would argue it is a good thing.
Because you took a “break”, you were able to realize that you have a calling somewhere. You want to work on something that means something to you, something that matters.
Chances are, with this downtime, you may even find what your “purpose” is.
And when you find what your purpose is, having enough will no longer matter, because you will be working on what you love each day.
Closing thoughts
It is easy to get lost in crazy goals, hustle culture, or the comparison trap, convincing you to continue working at a job you don’t need or on a business that drains you.
As fun and addictive as those games can be, they make you lose sight of what matters.
Using “enough” as a success metric instead of a dollar amount, achievement, or being better than the next person will allow you to focus on what matters.
It will allow you to be a happier person.
Thanks for reading