Cartoon © Randy Glasbergen, used with permission from www.glasbergen.com

I had my chuckle of the day when a client, from the organization called S.U.C.C.E.S.S no less, sent me the above cartoon.

What’s your idea of success?

It’s a perspective clearing question.  Your aim is true and clear if you know what you value success-wise.  Here are some lenses on success.

Success from a Carrot Life Lens™ perspective: with a detailed, grounded, focused view, Carrots see success through a thorough, well-planned, systematic approach (systems being their 7-letter love fest).

Success from a Mountain Life Lens™ perspective: with a broad, sweeping view from above, Mountains view success in terms of trends and the BIG picture.

Success from a Stop Life Lens™ perspective: with a reflective, thoughtful view, Stops see success as something to be carefully considered and researched, not something to be rushed into.

Success from a Go Life Lens™ perspective: with a ‘let’s try it, jump in’ approach, Gos view success in terms of a smorgasbord of opportunities – sampling things along the way and turning on a dime, changing plans at a drop if need be.

Success from a Journey Life Lens™ perspective: with a ‘let’s stop and smell the roses’ approach, Journeys’ take on success is organic and iterative.  The point isn’t to ‘get’ somewhere but rather to enjoy the path along the way.

Success from a Destination Life Lens™ perspective: always having a goal in mind, Destinations are sure-footed when it comes to beating a path to success.  They are focused and determined in reaching their goals.

Success from a Heart Life Lens™ perspective: with a well-developed intuition Hearts go with their gut and intuitively know their path to success.  Their success will be subjective.

Success from a Head Life Lens™ perspective: with a view towards the tangible, Heads focus on checks and balances, facts and figures.  Their success will be objective.  Period.

And you?  What combination are you?  How do your Life Lenses™, the lenses that affect your worldview and your perspective, also affect your take on success?

*** To support Randy’s cartoons please visit his website where you’ll find his cartoons on posters, mugs, t-shirts and other fun gift items.

Danielle Wilson, the smart and savvy President and Founder of Sweet Peanut Clothing Company suggests “we should know what our picture of success looks like.  We should know what we want and then build a picture of what that looks like.”

I really tuned in when she walked her talk by relating how she’d turned down an offer from a big box store to carry her line.  While it would have increased sales, it would have diluted her brand in the long run and threatened the current clients who carry her exclusive line.  I found myself thinking that’s smart, that’strategic.

When I heard her speak recently at the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs E-series program it made me think about my definition of success which cast me down the path of memory lane.

I remembered taking an entrepreneurship course where the old-school instructor suggested the life of an entrepreneur was 24/7 and that we should “take our business cards to the bathroom because you never know who you’ll meet along the way.” Really?  Really?  Is that the kind of life I want to lead?  It took me but a nanosecond to shake my head and replace that picture of success with another one.

That kind of 24/7 narrow, focused life would  leave me a basket case where I wouldn’t be much use to my clients.  That kind of 24/7 narrow, focused life doesn’t leave much room for much else, like the things that are important in my life – being a mom, life partner, friend, daughter, active community member, adventure traveler not to mention making cookie dough from scratch and eating it right out of the bowl with my kids.

I also thought about when, several life times ago, I briefly worked on a locked ward for youth sexual offenders.  It was sobering.  The experience taught me a lot about my definition of success.  When I first went in, the sheen of my bright and hopeful eyes must have required sunglasses.  I thought I would change some lives, create connection where connection had been lacking, really make a significant difference.

When the light had dimmed, I’d read the case files and shook my head over how a kid could survive being brought up in a cold, unheated garage with little to light, I recast my definition of success.  Success to me was working 1:1 with a kid and helping to keep him safe  and calm so that he could be in the common area for my entire shift.  Success was not having to lock him back up in his cell.

Success was tiny increments, almost indiscernible.  Conversations about why washing with soap was important, how to control your anger, how to talk period.

Taught me a lot those kids.  I still wonder where some of them are to this day, some 20+ years after the fact.

Back to listening to Danielle speak, I couldn’t agree more.  We all need to have a personalized definition of success.  Something as tailor fitted as a fine Italian suit.  While your definition of success may be under construction and change over time you should definitely be the one in charge on the construction site.

I’m graduating from the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs E-series program soon and the other day I tried on a dress that I want to wear to the party.  I was trying it on because it was too big and I needed to have it measured to take in.

That was my first shocker.  It fit.  Well.

My second shocker was that I’d just lost a couple of pounds and was back to my regular size.  Or so the scale said.

Here’s the deal, in the last three months I volunteered 6 days a week doing 12 hour shifts while the Olympics were on. Then I promptly got sick.  Then I hurt my back.  Then I went to Brazil for three weeks where it hit 28 degrees Celsius ….. by 8 am.

Let’s just say that exercise hasn’t been a regular part of my vocabulary for some three months now.

Not surprisingly I put on a couple of pounds, which in the last few weeks, back at regular exercise, I’m happy to say I’ve shed.

So why did the dress fit if I’m at my regular weight?

After the shock wore off I figured it out.

While I’ve been exercising diligently, I’ve only been doing aerobic type exercises (climbing hills, running, vigorous walking).  What I hadn’t been doing is any strength training (crunches, planks, push ups etc) or stretching.

So while I’m the same weight I’m not the same size.

The number on the scale is only one indicator.  It’s the same thing with your indicators of work success.

What do you judge success by?  Do you have a complete picture or are you slaving away to narrowly one defined indicator, let’s say money for example?  Is what you earn your only indicator?  This is the premise of Tim Ferris’ book the Four Hour Work Week where he talks about not postponing your life and waiting until you retire to enjoy what you really love to do.

I judge my work success by three things:

• do I feel fulfilled, happy and energized about my work?
• do I feel like I’m making a contribution?
• am I making enough cash to sustain the kind of lifestyle I want?

Don’t get locked into a narrow definition of success.  It probably won’t fit, like my dress.

It took me reanalyzing my definition of exercise to realize I’d forgotten 2/3rds of the equation (strength and stretching).  Which reminds me, I have a yoga class to go to.

My last 6 posts describe an extended, quirky to-do list tool that I use in my corporate training (click here to download a copy for you to use).  It has 5 parts:

- to do, to continue doing,  to stop doing, to not do, to done (no, the last one’s not a typo) (here’s a description of each)

I thought it might be helpful to conclude this series of posts with a comment from a reader and an update on my progress.

To Do: create more space in time and more physical space

• progress? Ahh the bliss of having taken 10 boxes to Value Village the other day.  I actually have empty shelves in the play room.  My calendar has more white space as well.  I’m enjoying more unplanned, unscheduled time.

To Continue Doing: keep off the weight I’ve lost and keep my monthly dance dates

• progress?  I enjoyed lots of Christmas goodies this year but managed to keep the weight off by increasing my workouts.  Went family snowshoeing and skiing several times each.  As much work as it was to get all flotsam and jetsam out of the house (goggles, mitts, poles, boots, hats, jackets, extra socks, snacks….I swear there is invisible glue holding it to the house) it was joyful being outdoors in the frosty air.

• no monthly dance date of yet; still have to replace my dance ‘date’ who moved to Scotland.  Having said that my hubby is home from an international business trip soon.  Hmmm. Perhaps we’ll hit the dance floor this weekend.

To Stop Doing: stop finishing things

• progress?  You bet your cute buttocks baby.  I’m devouring Tim Ferris’ ‘Four Hour Work Week’ and have turned not finishing something, somethign that I decide after starting isn’t strategic or meeting my needs, into an adrenaline surging, smash on the brakes, screeching halt.  The bliss that flows from not having to finish something, from not feeling my own imposed pressure, is enlightening.

To Not Do: watch loads of TV

• progress?  I keep surprising myself by not turning to TV in the evening.  Though I wonder what’s happening on Dragon’s Den, curling up in bed with a good book is inifinitely more relaxing and rejuvenating.

To Done:

• progress?  You bet your sweet socks, I continue to be proud of having been accepted to the FWE e-series program, having done international work for the UN last year, getting back on the ski hill with my family and continuing to meet with my Goddess gals

So far so great.  I’m sure 2010 will bring the inevitable ups and downs but I’m feeling on track, focused and ready to rock and roll.  Bring it on!

Maybe now I can take the advice of a reader (confession time, none other than my hubby), to add ‘do’odle’ - the ability to avoid following my lists and let my mind wander.

Time to wander, perhaps while listening to this post’s theme music ‘Because We Can’ by Fatboy Slim (a song guaranteed to ramp up your workout by the way).

And you?  How are you doing / being with your resolutions?