SereneFlow – What Success Really Means to Me

Before we can define success for ourselves, we have to see the definitions we inherited.

Growing up, success was defined in my family or community as:

Getting a stable, respectable job (even if unfulfilling)Making a specific amount of moneyGetting married and having childrenAcademic achievement and credentialsBeing admired or respected by othersBuying a home, car, or other status symbolsStaying within expected social or cultural rolesBeing 'good' — obedient, modest, not standing out

Success as I was told it should look

How that made me feel about pursuing it

Belief 1: 'Success will change me into someone I don't want to be.' — Do I hold this? Where did it come from? My truer belief:

Belief 2: 'I can't have success AND the things I care about.' — Do I hold this? Where did it come from? My truer belief:

Belief 3: 'People who are highly successful are unhappy or fake.' — Do I hold this? My truer belief:

Belief 4: 'Wanting success is arrogant or greedy.' — Do I hold this? My truer belief:

Belief 5: 'If I succeed, I'm responsible for a level I can never sustain.' — Do I hold this? My truer belief:

My core values (what matters most to me in how I live):

Authenticity — being true to who I amConnection — deep, meaningful relationshipsFreedom — autonomy over my time and choicesContribution — making a positive differenceGrowth — continuously learning and becomingSecurity — stability and safetyCreativity — expressing myself and making things

Success I was taught to want

Success I actually want

You are allowed to want what you actually want. Not the borrowed version, not the safe version — yours.

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