Success Myths: Success is Hitting My Numbers

Do you own your metrics of success or someone else's?

Seems like an odd question; however, it is a significant one.

The treadmill of disengagement is fueled by the mindset that we are successful and on purpose when we hit our numbers. Real purpose is birthed from the internal confidence in our performance; not those others put on us.

Being on purpose will not be sustainable if you are looking towards other people's expectations of what you should be doing. Our work often encourages us to hit specific metrics that others impose. Performance metrics, boundaries, evaluations are all essential in our work world, yet when they become the sole object of our affection, they create a myth of success.

I have fallen prey to this success myth. At the core of me running after hitting my numbers was my attempt to have self-worth. I believed that if others saw me as competent, then they would value me. When I hit my numbers, they saw me as competent.

It took the external reality of the recession to teach me that my self worth and success are not tied to hitting my numbers. In that season, I fell way short of my normal productivity at work. It was not due to a lack of effort rather a lack of efficiency. This was out of my control, and as I pondered the frustration of not feeling productive, I realized I do not want to live a life that has my external realities dictating who I was to be.

In the Purpose Promise book and workbook, we document the difference between the inside-out life and the outside-in life. Purposeful people live inside-out lives. The inside-out life is lived when external realities are not the sole determiner of our success. It is simple to understand, yet hard to do. As I've wrestled with the transition to the inside-out life, I've realized that external realities are essential to be aware of, but my internal self is the only thing I can control.

When we fall prey to the hitting my numbers success myth, we fall into the outside-in life. The metrics of others upon your success are a reality, but how you choose to live with their existence is a choice.

Don't fall prey to the outside-in life. Own your success metrics and live with purpose!

Questions to Ponder:

• What external measures of success are imposed on you?
• Are these the core drivers of your purpose?

Habits to Cultivate:

• Take the time to consider where you have adopted your view of success.

Learn more about this success myth by listening to our podcast where we interview purpose seekers on how they overcame this success myth: Success is Hitting My Numbers

We have helped thousands of purpose seekers pivot into purposeful employment. You can do it too. We would love to help guide you. If you are experiencing this success myth and are feeling disengaged, get started on your path to purpose.