Today is February 7 and the Navigate the Chaos question to consider is "What are your elements of success?"
Navigating the chaos requires a level of self-awareness that provides one with the insight on their elements of success.
These elements of success serve as a north star for those working on translating one dream into reality after another.
The 2013 American Express Life Twist study identified ten elements of success commonly expressed by Americans:
Good health
Finding time for the important things in life
Having a good marriage/relationship
Knowing how to spend money well
Having a good work/personal life balance
Having a job I love
Making the time to pursue your passions and interests
Being physically fit
Embracing new experiences/changes
Always trying to learn and do new things
It is helpful for your personal growth and professional development to periodically conduct an elements of success audit. Doing so allows you to reorder these 10 elements from most to least important. Below is just one example:
Having a good work/personal life balance
Being physically fit
Good health
Knowing how to spend money well
Finding time for the important things in life
Making the time to pursue your passions and interests
Embracing new experiences/changes
Always trying to learn and do new things
Having a job I love
Having a good marriage/relationship
In this example above the respondent placed work/personal life balance at the top because she defines success as being physically fit and maintaining good health.
This professional is well aware that an imbalance between one’s work/personal life can create both physical and mental stress so she has consciously made a decision to place these three elements at the top of her life.
Questions:
How would you rank order (from most to least important?
Why did you place these elements in this order?
Have these changed over time for you?
As American author Stephen Covey stressed "The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities."
Taylor Hunt is one person who understands the meaning of scheduling your priorities. A Way from Darkness is his unflinching and confessional story of Taylor Hunt's journey from addiction to health – physical, emotional, and spiritual.
Bankrupt in every imaginable sense of the word, Taylor's journey was neither quick nor easy.
He spent most of his 20s living basically on the streets and doing drugs almost every single day almost to the point of death. After learning about a 12-step meeting he realized he wanted something more out of life.
A friend then introduced him to Ashtanga yoga and that allowed him to further his journey out of darkness.
His story is more than just autobiography; it is an invitation to the reader to find healing alongside Taylor through community, Ashtanga yoga, and ultimately, acceptance.
Taylor Hunt traveled out of the darkness and with the help of the 12-step process, coupled with Ashtanga, he would eventually step away from addiction and towards sobriety.
He made sobriety, a better life, and a better body his priorities.
Much like Taylor, U.S. soccer champion Abby Wambach understood her rules for success. U.S. Soccer legend Abby Wambach addressed the Barnard College Class of 2018, letting them in on her four secrets to success.
First, Failure is the highest octane fuel so learn to make failure your fuel.
Second, you're either a leader everywhere or nowhere so when you are benched, be a leader.
Third, support other women and claim the success of one woman as a collective success for all women.
Finally, be assertive and demand the ball, equal pay, the promotion and the microphone.
As you go about your day, consider asking yourself "do you schedule your priorities? What elements of success do you prioritize over others and why? How often do you think about how you define the success of others?"