Re-evaluating My Definition of Success
Last week, I met with a friend over coffee to discuss exciting ideas about creative outlets for both of us. It was thrilling to brainstorm, especially about something we might work on together. I can’t think of anything more rewarding than collaborating on a project we’re passionate about with one of my lifelong friends.
Towards the end of our conversation, as we contemplated how to make this next endeavor profitable, we started talking about what success really looks like. My creative mind is always buzzing with ideas, but the business side of things sometimes lags behind because, at my core, I want what I create to bring people together and foster connection more than I want it to generate profit.
Then my friend posed a question that made me stop and rethink my perspective on success. She asked, What if we—and society as a whole—stopped defining success by monetary profit?
We live in a world that glorifies hustle culture, where financial gain is often equated with personal achievement. But what if, instead of focusing on wealth, we measured success in other ways? What if we asked ourselves:
How is our faith?
How is our health?
How do we make people feel?
How do we feel, personally and professionally?
I see this messaging all the time—in books I read, in podcasts I listen to—the idea that your worth is somehow tied to your bank account. Not in those exact words, but in the underlying push toward productivity and financial gain as the ultimate marker of success.
I think about this a lot when it comes to Dittos in the Back, the podcast I co-host with Katie. We’ve always said that even if just one person listens and takes something meaningful from our conversations, then it’s a success. But when it comes to my books, I sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that if I’m not selling a certain number of copies, then my writing doesn’t matter or isn’t making a difference. We really are our own worst critics, aren’t we?
That’s why, when I stumbled across this quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, it felt like a sign:
“To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.”
If we shift our perception of success, we can also shift the way we see our own accomplishments. Moving forward, I plan to revisit this quote whenever I start to doubt myself. I hope it does the same for you.
Before you head into the weekend, I want to say one last thing—thank you.
Thank you for reading this blog every week.
Thank you to everyone who supported my writing business last weekend at the Boozy Book Fair.
Thank you for your kind and encouraging words about how much you and your loved ones enjoy my books.
Remember, you are a success—no matter what society might say about what success means.
And as always, happy reading.
— Katie Marie
