Rethinking Success: Why what you “Really” care about, Matters!

I’m tempted to start this post like a middle school teacher; with something like “The definition of success is”…but I’m certain that would flop terribly because surely everyone has a unique definition of success for themselves, or do they?

“Success” seems to be this fancy idea we’re all chasing though not sure why. (several song lyrics and movie lines come to mind). Seriously though, what is it? Is it about having a huge bank balance, an important-sounding job title, spending our days in the sun, giving our kids the life we never had, or something else entirely? Well, I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes us feel truly successful and realized it’s got a lot to do with the things that “really” matter to us deep down. I’ve come to recognise those things within these three words, Purpose, Meaning and Legacy.

But why these three words…

Purpose: Your Personal Compass or North star

Think of purpose as your personal GPS or internal alarm clock, often what gets you out of bed in the morning, eager to tackle the day. It’s proven to also often keep you up at night, in those moments when it’s just you and the quiet of the dark, filtering even into your most vivid dreams.

Purpose isn’t just about what job you do, but why you do it, and how it makes you feel. When you’re doing something that lines up with your purpose, work doesn’t feel like a grunt-filled uphill climb—it feels like, well, like you! but at your best and that shines through what you do.

Meaning: What makes it worth it

Meaning is about connecting the dots between what you do, what you believe in, and what you value. It’s what makes the hard work, the late nights, and the early mornings worth it. Without meaning, achievements feel hollow, like trophies gathering dust or soda when it’s water we need. The cool thing however is that meaning is personal; what’s meaningful to you might not be the same for the next person, and that’s okay. This is why an achievement which causes one person to break down in tears, can have another person wondering what the hype is about.

Meaning could come from connecting with others, growing as individuals, and contributing to something bigger than ourselves. In any of these cases, it’s the difference between just living and truly feeling alive.

Where Purpose and meaning align, any job can feel like a calling and any challenge can become a stepping stone to eventual success.

Legacy: Your imprint on the sands of time

Legacy is about the footprints we leave behind or the stories told about us when we’re not in the room. It is our unique mark on the world. It’s crafted through love, kindness, courage, and the choices we make every day. A thoughtful legacy doesn’t require fame or fortune; it’s built from how we touch the lives of those around us. Thinking about our legacy encourages us to live intentionally, making decisions that resonate with our deepest values.

Thinking about legacy can help one focus on the big picture. It’s about asking, “How do I want to be remembered?” and letting that guide our choices. It turns everyday decisions into pieces of a bigger puzzle, shaping the story we want to tell with our lives

Living a meaningful life infused with purpose helps to ensure we create positive/powerful legacies in the world. As legacy becomes the cumulative effect of all of our actions.

The Price of Overlooking What Matters

Studies show that a life lacking in purpose and meaning can lead to increased stress, poor health outcomes, and a feeling of drifting (being lost at sea), and going wherever the storms of life lead. Like a house lacking proper foundations—eventually, the cracks start to show. Cracks like burnout, a sense of emptiness, mental unwellness and the haunting question: “Is this all there is?”

Ignoring these important matters can be severely detrimental on a personal level and a societal level.

The good news

The pursuit of purpose, meaning, and a positive legacy is deeply rewarding on many levels. It enriches our lives, strengthens our societies, and ensures we’re not just passing through this world, but adding something to it. These ideas can be integrated into our lives, with the right effort and interventions.

But 1st it starts with asking the right questions… What drives us? What fulfils us? How do we want to be remembered? These aren’t just philosophical questions—they’re the recipe to real and true Success.