Somewhere along the way, business owners – especially women – were told that if their businesses and lives didn’t look like a certain picture on the internet, they weren’t successful.
The six-figure screenshots, the “hustle” filled calendar, the perfectly curated home office, tropical weekends away “unplugged”…even though they clearly took their phone out to take that selfie.
Dreaming big is beautiful, and there is no shame in that game; but if your definition of success feels like it’s competing with what the world is shouting, it’s time to reevaluate.
Don’t Quietly Lose Yourself. Quietly Celebrate Instead.
Your dream doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s in your industry. In fact, when you let others define success for you, you end up having the wrong benchmarks to reach. Your dream can be more flexibility in your schedule instead of European travel. You could want a small team and one intern instead of a business that scales to a team of 20. Your vision might look different than what you see plastered on social media, and that’s a good thing – it’s specific to you!
#1 Define Success Before the Internet Defines it For You
It’s easy to get confused when someone asks you what success looks like because your mind immediately recalls every version it’s been bombarded with since childhood. A vision board is a great place to start, but you need to get intentional about goal setting. Ask yourself: Am I doing the work in my business right now that’s leading me closer to my short and long term goals for my life? Do the small, everyday tasks on your list equal stepping stones towards the alignment you are craving? Are you filling your business with tasks that are pulling you away from the version of success you want? Your business needs to support the life you want, not consume it.
#2 You Don’t Need Applause to Celebrate Success
We all want the big confetti and balloon drop, but some goals aren’t the ones everyone is going to recognize as a big deal. The problem here is that you can’t skip over them either! The big wins will be there, but don’t forget to celebrate the smaller ones that are quietly building towards the life you want. Maybe it’s taking a random Friday off to go out with a friend or being able to be generous and donating something from your business to a special cause. Did you hit your sales goal this launch without reaching the burnout zone? Those things are absolutely special and aligned with your bigger goals, so stop to celebrate them.
#3 Sustainable Success Over Short Term Wins
You probably don’t realize that some of the most successful businesses you know are the ones making quiet moves behind the scenes to become more sustainable. The loud success is what’s in your face and giving you comparison. The quiet success is what you really should be going after! Businesses that create rituals that protect their peace, increasing pricing by betting on themselves, creating repeatable systems that save them time…this is where success is located! When you focus on building something that can support you long term with stability and purpose, you don’t get caught up in the flashy looking version of success.
Remember: Success is Deeply Personal
Your version and vision for success is going to evolve the same way your life does. The healthiest thing you can do as a business owner is mute the noise of external validation, and lean into what you want and need to feel successful. You’re the one who decides if you’re meeting the criteria. Even better news? You’re also the one who gets to pivot when you’re not.
Hustle & Heart Challenge
This month, jot down three moments from the last six months that made you feel genuinely proud or fulfilled in your business and ask yourself: What do these moments reveal about my true definition of success?
