Today’s message of success seems to be all around us: Be smarter, faster, and more efficient with each project or passing year. Get more done, gain more skills, and be more impressive. More, more, more. You’ve gotta keep up the hustle.
At one point in my life, I believed this was success, too. Early on in my career as a CPA, I got completely wrapped up in hustling and thought climbing that corporate ladder would fulfill me. Yet in all my striving, I got overwhelmed. I was working so hard for all the things but couldn’t keep up. I didn’t think to stop and ask, “Am I still on the right path? What am I doing?”
Sometimes we can be so busy doing that we forget to consider if what we’re spending our time on is actually accomplishing our goals. We have to step back and see the big picture again. We’ve got to keep the main things the main things.
In one of her books, author Ruth Chou Simons says it this way: “It’s not a call to get busy; it’s a call to get discerning.” It’s true. We have to ask ourselves, What is it I believe? What is success to me?
Success is very personal to all of us and affects how we live. It’s a daily decision in which we ask, “What is most important today?”
Since we’re all prone to falling into the hustle at times, here are some ways to manage when things feel overwhelming:
- Stop, take a breath, and assess where you are right now. What’s unsettling? Determining this can reveal where to start.
- Define success with a holistic perspective. What is it that you really want? Where are you now, and where do you want to be?
- Go after it. Change even just one small thing to help you move forward.
It takes hardcore intentionality to stay focused on your vision for success, but the more confidence you develop, the more you’re able to realize that success isn’t about competing with others or yourself—it’s about finding your rhythm, the harmony that really works for you.
There will be ebbs and flows throughout different life seasons, and it may not be a linear process as you find your voice and follow your passions, but it will be an adventure and joy. So lean in! I’m rooting for you.
If you enjoyed this article, listen to my guest appearance on Gill Donnell’s podcast.