We’re constantly surrounded by images of what career success "should" look like. From social media feeds to conversations with family, we may hear a familiar refrain: 

• More money = more career success
• More impressive title = more career success
• More people to manage = more career success

For many of us, these external pressures become our definition of success. But what if there were something missing from these definitions? 

What does "career success" look like to you?

If we haven't taken the time to reflect on this question, we start chasing these external milestones without stopping to ask ourselves if they're what we truly want. We may default to a definition of success that isn't truly our own. 

In my experience working as a coach, I've seen that true career fulfillment comes from defining success on your own terms. It’s about giving yourself permission to pursue what truly matters most to you, even if doing so makes you "different." 

Redefining Success: On Your Terms

When you give yourself permission to look beyond the conventional definitions of success, all sorts of different criteria open up. You may find that your authentic vision of success looks completely different.

Instead of chasing a title or a salary, you might define success by:

• The impact you have on a problem that truly matters to you.
• The fulfillment you feel from doing work you love, most days.
• The freedom to work less and spend more time with your family or on your hobbies.

Each of these is a valid measure of success. The key is to be honest with yourself about what brings you joy and purpose.

As someone who quit Google to start her own business as a solopreneur, I can tell you just how scary it is to get honest with ourselves about what we want — especially when it goes against the norm. Leaving Google, I had so many doubts: "Isn't this the job I'm supposed to want? Isn't this good enough?"

But on the other side of those doubts, I now get to have all three of the items on the list above. I get to have meaningful impact in empowering others as a coach. I feel fulfilled by my work — seriously, I'm at an 8-9 out of 10 for work fulfillment most days, a figure I rarely could sustain in corporate. And I now have so much freedom. I have time to cook meals, time for hobbies, time to spend with the people (and dog) that I care about most. I can take my business in the direction I choose, so long as there are customers willing to journey with me. I've re-defined success on my own terms and continue to do so, in case you need one example of someone doing it who hasn't died in the process. 

Don't Let Someone Else Define Success For You

It's easy to dismiss this idea with a thought like, "But I don't know what I want! Shouldn't I want what everyone else wants?"

The unfortunate truth is this: if you don't have your own definition of success, someone else will happily enroll you in theirs. Your boss, your company, or even society will tell you what you should want. Before you know it, you could be on a path that leads to a destination you never truly chose.

It takes courage to authentically, uniquely define what "success" means to you. But when you do, a sense of clarity and purpose tends to follow. You can then confidently say "no" to opportunities that don't align with your values. You can feel your vision for success coming into reality day-to-day. 

This is a powerful position to be in, and it's a key part of maintaining the fulfillment you've found in your work.

So, for those of you who have found a place where you feel content and fulfilled, take a moment to reflect on your journey. What does success look like to you now? What courage did it take to get here? Where might you go next?