What the heck does success mean anyway?Â
Success. Everyone wants it. People keep blogging about it. Dudes on podiums sell it.
But what exactly does success mean?
We kissed goodbye words like synergy, gourmet and solution because they lost all meaning. They were coughed up so much that they turned grey and tasteless before our very eyes.
Do we really want success to face the same cardboard cut-out fate?
Pack up the expensive toys, the plastic smiles and the glamorised notions and let’s steal the definition of success back and put our own damn stamp on it, shall we?
Yours in unashamedly success myth-busting mode,
Rebekah
Does success mean I forget to have a life?
I have an event happening as part of Vivid Ideas. We’re busting the myth of work-life balance in a get-ahead culture with the likes of Sydney University psychology researchers, Beyond Blue’s workplace team, Australia’s first yoga for mental health studio (based in Redfern) and Hacking Happiness, the startup idea that aims to disrupt the conversation around what it means to be productive at work.
Getting into Vivid Ideas has been truly a thrill. A scary as hell thrill. I believe that in order to reduce stress among freelancers, small biz and white collar professionals, we totally need to get rid of the whole “high five to pulling an all nighter!†culture. Work smarter, not harder. That kind of thing.
Why don't you come along and see if you agree?
It's $29 and on June 7th from 12pm. The view alone is worth that dough.
Let's talk frankly about the myth of work-life balance in a get-ahead culture.
You're a success. What next?
It doesn't matter if you're a white collar professional, a startup geek, small biz owner or funky freelancer, success gives us a great big serving of the "next challenge itch".
If you're employed by someone, you'll seek a promotion, new responsibilities or find a new job.
But where do you go if you're working on your own business?
Clever Copywriting School's founder Kate Toon asked a few business owners what they did to abate the success bite and this blog is the result.
Post-success syndrome and a whole lot of hustle
When you've reached the top of your game, you can be tempted to diversify. That means getting back into the hustle trenches and pushing that idea forward.
But hustle isn't the domain of the cheesy bastard with the clever networking drinks patter.
Here's what nobody explains about business hustle.
Success is long hours, booze, parties and an allergy to sleep?
Let's not beat around the bush here. People who work for themselves do work hard.
But does that mean we should also be buying into the idea work is the only thing in our lives? Or that work followed by cocaine, strippers and enough booze to fell a rhino is the best reward?
This little ditty will probably remind you more of a traditional working life. But it's still got enough punch in there to remind you workaholics that work hard, play hard is a mantra full of crap.
How you define success is up to you. Don't let the tendrils of someone else's definition drag you down. Just keep going.
Some things that may interest you in your pursuit of your own definition of success
Reading:
Seeing someone else's burn out
Why the word 'should' is standing in the way of your success
Exploring the 5 year itch, Amy Poehler style
Education:
Hanging out with a bunch of community managers at a conference
Learning a new skill, like DIY SEO
Taking 100 day trek towards being a better freelancer