How I Define Success

A lot of people keep mentioning ‘success’ to me lately, some kindly comment that they feel I’m successful- and while that’s flattering, it’s made me question how I personally deem and measure success.

While many understandably view stats, follows, likes, subscribers, accolades and income as ways to define success-it can be a disheartening and inaccurate way to measure success in my opinion.

It all boils down to what you define as successful.

First off I will state my blog is my business, it’s my full time job so naturally I review my stats and ensure I’m making a living that pays for myself and my small team from my blog- but I don’t obsess with figures-they don’t define me and they shouldn’t define you.

While I’m grateful to those who follow Honest Mum (hi Mum 😉 ), those who help me to grow my platforms and whom often tell me that they enjoy what I do, my success-read-happiness must fall on me.

Because how I FEEL is how I define success.

Not everyday because life is a rollercoaster right Ronan 😉 but for the most part I ask myself-

AM I HAPPY? AM I STIMULATED? ARE MY KIDS HAPPY? DO I WAKE UP IN THE MORNING AND SWITCH ON MY LAPTOP EXCITED FOR THE DAY? AM I WORKING WITH BRANDS I LOVE ON PROJECTS I ADORE? AM I PUSHING MYSELF TO KEEP CREATING BETTER CONTENT? AM I HELPING OTHERS?

DOES LIFE FEEL GOOD MOST OF THE TIME? AM I CHERISHING THE LITTLE (BUT MOST IMPORTANT THINGS)? AM I LEARNING FROM MISTAKES AND GROWING> AM I TAKING THE HIGH GROUND? AM I WORKING AT BALANCE AND TIME OUT?

DO I LIKE MYSELF?

If I answer is yes to the above, for most of the time, then I know I’m on the right road to success for me. My own personal journey. We all have goals, ambitions, outcomes we strive for whether that’s cracking America Craig David style (yes please) or having 5 kids (now that’s another dream of mine)-each and everyone one of us has our own version of success.

To me, success means working in a flexible way which puts me in the driving seat.

That works for my family.

That means I can work remotely, anywhere in the world frankly, on my time and on my terms.

Success means I can utilise my years of experience as a multi-award winning TV director and filmmaker (don’t let awards define you either)-and merge my many passions on the blog, my YouTube channel and elsewhere in a meaningful way.

I’m still a documentary maker, just one who now documents mine and my own family’s lives right here on a democratic platform in a job that only came into being, for me, any least, almost 6 years ago.

Success means I’m content, fulfilled, stretched, stimulated, sometimes overwhelmed but mostly understood and madly PASSIONATE about what I do. So much so, I’m writing this post about that exact thrill and love of the job at midnight when I should be asleep.

This post and video by my hero Marie Forleo underpins the notion that we must like ourselves and what we do and allow that to dictate success for us. Her own post on measuring success rang true to me in every way.

I love sharing and posting, connecting and hopefully engaging with others. Making people feel not so alone, helping them to laugh, feel hungry (!) and entertained through my work.

The figures, the follows, the likes, the shares-to know people I don’t know read my blog, people who sometimes stop me in the street, know my stories, my family’s, can relate to my life-well that’s all just UTTERLY insane and wonderful but it mustn’t be mine -or your- EVERYTHING.

Viewers, readers and popularity can wane-stats can fall as much as they peak, social media growth can stagnate-one minute you’re celebrated, the next you could be trolled-it’s how you deem yourself throughout that counts.

What keeps you pushing on and what should define you is the PASSION for the craft, the LOVE- in caps- for what you do and how it makes you feel whether you have 1 reader or 1 million- the rush you get as you carve and create your own space in what can sometimes feel an overcrowded world online but is a corner just for you, all yours .

A place you can feel empowered and empower others. A place you can call your own.

A place you can unapologetically be whomever you want to be.

Your canvas, your words, your world.

Somewhere you can share your voice. And you can keep on sharing. And shooting and working. And learning and loving what you do.

To me, that is success.

Huge, gold star, big tick in every box, success.

 

Pin It!