Success Measured by Growth

I came across an interesting list from www.lifehack.org that someone posted on Facebook called “20 Signs You’re Succeeding In Life Even If You Don’t Feel You Are.” Here are a few of them that caught my attention:

  • Your relationships are less dramatic than they used to be.
  • You are not afraid to ask for help and support any more.
  • You have learned that setbacks and failure are part of self-growth.
  • You have a support system that includes people who would do anything for you.
  • You don’t complain much.
  • You can celebrate others’ success.
  • You have things to look forward to.
  • You love deeply and open yourself up to be loved by others.
  • You refuse to be a victim.
  • You accept what you can’t change.
  • You change what you can.

These signs seem to describe a life with less resistance and more humility. I like it. One thing I look for in therapy with my clients is a growing sense of ease and peace with oneself and with life itself. That inner ease or peace may not mean there is less conflict or challenge in life, but the conflict and challenge is experienced differently. Rather than shaking people off their moorings, resiliency comes in and people are able to weather it differently.

What challenges you about this list? How could you grow into one or two of the items here?

2 Responses

  1. “You have a support system that includes people who would do anything for you.”

    I have no idea how to make this happen (or whether I have people like this). Maybe I’m complaining, but this seems to be something that isn’t really in my control, and I’m not sure I see how self-growth factors in.

  2. That’s a good question about whether it is in your control. I bet that a decent first step is intentionally being that for other people that you care about. The out of your control part is how they may be able/willing to reciprocate……

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