I strongly believe that the right recipe for success is a very simple concept. The challenge is in two things: finding the right recipe and applying it in your life.
Unfortunately, the right recipe for success is something that eludes a lot of people.
We all want to be there and have the capability to live our dream life. As much as I want to delude you into thinking it is easy to get there, I don’t think there is one formula specific for success. It changes over time. I believe this is because our priorities vary as we grow older. That makes our definition of success evolve as we live longer and go through experiences that change our perception of life.
FINDING THE RIGHT RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
What I am trying to drive at is this: if you want to find the right recipe for success, you need to look deep down and define what you think will make you successful. Some people find this complicated because they are burdened by what society thinks will make a person successful. The people central to this are your family, friends, and colleagues.
But I tell you this, if you depend on your decision on them, you might not truly find yourself happy. All my friends work in the corporate world. I am the only one who set up a work from home arrangement and it doesn’t seem to affect their perception of me. Sure there are conversations that we cannot really understand. And sometimes, when I tell them about my work, it confuses them. But we all share a genuine interest in each other’s career choices not because we like them, but because we are friends.
So the bottom line is, only you can define what you perceive is successful. And how do you do that? You look for the specific things that will make you happy and fulfilled.
When you were fresh out of school you know you have found success when you get a great job in a reputable company. When you reach your 30s that would imply wanting to settle down with the right partner. Add a few more years and you want your own children, your own home, a great car, your own business, etc. Concentrate on what makes you happy and what will give you the most personal fulfillment.
APPLYING THE RIGHT RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
When you know your definition of success, applying it seems like an easy step to take but it is not always the case. Especially if your definition is a far cry from what you are currently living – or is not necessarily what society expects of you.
This is where courage comes to play. You need to weigh which is more important, conforming or your happiness.
When I decided to quit the corporate world and venture on my own, I was lucky enough to have the support of my husband. It wasn’t the best time for us financially but I really had enough of my current work arrangements. Other people were not so enthusiastic about my decision however, the people whose opinions matter to me had faith that I can do it.
And so I did.
THE RIGH TIME
Some of you may not be so lucky to have this support. You may be waiting for the right time to do it. Well, I can tell you one thing: there is no right time to pursue your dream. If you wait for the right circumstances to arrive, you might not get there at all – or worse, you will be forced to watch the opportunity pass and you will live the rest of your life knowing you lost your chance.
That was what I did at first and it just frustrated me and I got so resentful of my work that I wasn’t doing a good job anymore. Knowing that I wasn’t measuring up made me doubt my capabilities and my self-esteem spiralled downwards.
I thought to myself, it’s now or never.
Since then, I am happily doing what I want to do every day. Because I am happy, I do a good job at it. And when I do a good job, I get rewarded well for it.
I don’t want to think money is the measurement for success, nor is it the only motivation to work. It does allow you to enjoy a lot of things in life so it shouldn’t be disregarded in the equation. The important thing is, you are having fun doing what you want to do and you get paid for it.
To quote the great man Confucius: Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.
I cannot think of a better arrangement than that to help you get started in finding the right recipe for success.