What is Success?
This is such a foundational question, especially when you’re sitting on a Baja beach surrounded by fellow mid-lifers. Once you’ve taken yourself off the habitual treadmill (aka, the "hedonic treadmill"), you start to notice things that were previously just wallpaper in your life.
After having written that paragraph, I feel awkward writing this one. This past week, my 2010 TED Talk was featured in a TED playlist based upon the question, "What is Success?" I couldn’t help but feel proud based upon the nine other thought leaders with whom I’m surrounded: Elizabeth Gilbert, Alain de Botton, David Brooks, John Wooden…
But, be careful of any success that is built upon comparison. The little voice in my head says, "Chip, you’ve had only two TED Talks and Liz Gilbert has had three. Snap to it and create another one!" It’s easy to fall off a treadmill when it moves too fast. The best successes don’t have metrics attached; they can’t be manipulated. The best successes make you feel warm inside.
For those of you intrigued by this topic, you might enjoy our "Successful but not Satisfied?" workshop in Baja this coming spring (May 8-15).
