“The realization of success comes from within.” After we achieve the basic necessities according to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, I have found the universal desire to connect to a higher power and explore the spiritual side of life. A quest for success is often inexplicably wrapped up in a grappling with questions about what it means to achieve. I know from my continuous desire to learn and lean in to understanding all perspectives, success is deeply personal and varies from one individual to another, and I don’t believe we speak of this concept enough. In today’s blog & podcast, let’s dive into the innate desire we have for achieving success and seeking rest while hopefully finding a sense of contentment and joy along the way.
5 Ways to Balance Contentment and Ambition
#1 The Realization of True Success
The realization of success comes from within. As the Maslov’s saying goes, “What one can be, one must be.” The process of daily self-reflection through journaling creates a space to realize what the higher version of yourself and the life you are creating have the potential to become.
#2 The Illusion of External Achievements
Developing goals and incremental action steps to achieve those goals has always been my way of creating a life that feels successful on my own terms. What started out as a 16-year old girl’s desire to be able to put any food into the grocery cart and onto my table has transformed into my career in the electric utility field and understanding the principles of personal development. The external achievements were signposts for me to pass along the way but the person I’ve continually grown to become as a human was always the main objective. The who was always more important than the what.
#3 Embracing Feelings of Unrest
After achieving big milestones and the accompanying sense of contentment, it’s not uncommon for there to also be a following sense of emptiness and unrest. Unrest can feel very discomforting and not being able to stake or ground yourself can feel unraveling. Your action plan with goals and milestones is something to ground yourself in. Balancing contentment with ambition and embracing this unrest as a signal to dive deeper in setting new challenges is crucial. Continuous learning and self-awareness are powerful tools for personal growth.
#4 Defining Your Own Success
Achievements and success alone don’t provide the deep longing we all have in our inmost being. Your state of success can only be defined by you. This is the work you must do for yourself. Be brave enough to define for yourself what a successful life feels like and how you intend to live each day. Your background, your upbringing, your perspectives are yours as is your definition of what it means to be successful.
#5 Finding Joy in the Journey
We all strive to connect and continue to stretch and grow. There’s no end point where we achieve a state of being that’s finite in this life. True success is something that comes from within and embracing the joy in the journey is the key. Stay present and fully engaged in the process and you will find joy in your journey.
Listen to the FULL EPISODE of the podcast by clicking below!
Thank you for listening in and reading along… I would love to hear your thoughts… Join the conversation & send me an email at elizabeth@integratedbeingllc.com. I look forward to connecting with you & going on this journey of life together.
xo, Lizzie