Forget the rules. Define success yourself.
Plus, Cody Sanchez on how to build wealth and grow financially resilient from your regular salary.
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What does the word success make you think of? What are the first things that come to mind?
Go ahead, I’ll wait.
You might have thought of significant wealth. A nice car. Beach vacations.
Maybe you thought of fame, high status. A million followers. Red carpets.
Or maybe you thought of a massive personal accomplishment. Selling your company. Writing that book. Climbing Mount Everest!
Whatever it is you thought of, I have a question for you. Was it yours? Your personal definition of what success means? Or was it someone else’s?
See, we’re conditioned, through advertising, social media, and our social circles, to accept what success looks like for other people. But true success. That can only be defined by one person: you. And today, that’s what I really want to drill into.
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What does success mean to you?
You’ve probably had a time in your life when you worked really really hard for something, thinking to yourself, “When I pull this off it’s going to be amazing!” only to reach the finish line and… feel disappointed. So I want to look the other way. To those moments where the confidence lasted.
Try This: I want you to think of a time in your life when you achieved something that made you feel really good about yourself. And be totally honest! There’s a very real chance your peers might not consider it successful… and that’s exactly the point!
Was it the time you learned a specific skill? – Cooking? Backpacking? Juggling?
Did you heal a relationship that mattered to you?
Maybe you struck a work-life balance for a period of time that felt absolutely amazing.
Write a list of the times you felt like you succeeded. Not just at work, either. At home. In your relationships.
Now, think:
If you stopped comparing yourself to others, what definitions of success would you let go of? And, looking at your list, what does success actually look like to you?
Undoubtedly, it will include some level of financial stability. Building wealth can seem so unattainable – but it doesn’t have to. On this week’s podcast, I spoke to Codie Sanchez, an entrepreneur, investor, and founder of Contrarian Thinking. Codie unpacks some incredible mindset shifts that are essential in navigating today’s financial world.
In our conversation, Codie breaks down how to make money in a tough economy – and that’s by making disciplined decisions, managing risk with intention, and turning problems into possibilities. It’s such a great conversation. If you’ve ever wanted to invest your money or talk about money but don’t have the language to do it, this episode is a must. Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
One year from now, how will you know if you’ve lived closer to your own version of success? Reply to this email right now and tell me. I’m rooting for you.
Last week, I challenged you to reach out to a friend and offer them some support. I’m so grateful to all of you who went out and spread your positive energy.
Reader Risa wrote,
I have a friend who is going through a life transition that's both exciting, yet challenging. We talk regularly, however randomly I shoot him a text with a funny meme saying good morning/afternoon, have a fab day or such. Just something to let him know he's thought about and to bring a smile. I actually do this often for several of my friends. It's always nice to know someone randomly thought about you.
That’s so lovely Risa. I can attest to how nice it is to receive a random funny message from a friend!
Reader Gary wrote,
Hi Jay! Here is what Id like to say: I have a new neighbor who moved in a few weeks ago. We have spoken once briefly while doing yard work. I have been thinking of ways to welcome her and her kids to the neighborhood. I don't cook and only bake a few things. Well, Yesterday I received a piece of her mail in my mailbox. So, now I have to go over and deliver this mail but I want to do something a little special and hopefully create a nice friendly connection. So, I broke off a piece of my Christmas Cactus plant, planted it in a new pot and will welcome her with a plant when I deliver her mail. Hopefully she will feel supported by her neighbors.
Wow! What a beautiful way to make your neighbor feel welcome. That’s beautiful, Gary!
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