Everyone Wants Success… But What Does Success Really Mean?

Everyone wants to be successful—but ask ten people to define success, and you’ll probably get ten different answers.

Recently, we attended a leadership forum with some of the most accomplished professionals in our industry. Surprisingly, the conversation wasn’t about investments, business growth, or financial strategies. Instead, for nearly two hours, the group wrestled with one simple question:

What is success?

One answer stood out above the rest:

“Success is reducing the ‘have to’s’ and increasing the ‘want to’s.’

That definition resonated deeply. After all, who wouldn’t want a life with fewer obligations and more opportunities to spend time doing what truly matters?

The problem is that most of us unintentionally move in the opposite direction.

Life gets busy. Responsibilities multiply. Calendars fill up. Before long, our days become consumed by “have to’s,” and the life we once envisioned slowly fades into the background.

So today, I’d like to challenge you to do something that may feel unproductive—but could be one of the most productive things you do all year.

Take a timeout.

Whether it’s after the house quiets down tonight or early tomorrow morning before everyone wakes up, set aside an uninterrupted hour. Grab a notebook and a pen, turn off the distractions, and give yourself permission to think about where your life is headed.

Step 1: Define Success

Start with the most important question:

What does success actually look like for you?

Not your parents’ definition. Not your coworkers’. Not society’s.

Yours.

Success isn’t one-size-fits-all. The clearer you become about what truly matters, the easier it becomes to make decisions that align with that vision.

Step 2: Picture the Finish Line

Now imagine yourself at the end of your life, looking back.

What accomplishments would make you smile?

What relationships would you treasure?

What experiences would you never want to have missed?

More importantly, what would you regret if you never pursued?

This exercise isn’t about money. It’s about significance. It’s about identifying the things that would make you feel your life was well lived.

Step 3: Discover Your “Why”

Goals alone won’t sustain you.

Your why will.

The “what” may change throughout your life. The “how” certainly will. But your purpose—the reason these goals matter—is what keeps you moving forward when life becomes difficult.

Ask yourself:

Why are these things so important to me?

Don’t settle for a one-word answer. Dig deeper. Keep asking “why” until you uncover something meaningful enough to move you emotionally.

That’s the motivation you’ll return to when obstacles arise.

Step 4: Work Backward

Leadership expert John Maxwell often teaches the importance of beginning with the end in mind.

Once you’ve envisioned your destination, work backward.

Ask yourself:

• What would my life need to look like five years from now?
• What needs to happen in the next three years?
• What can I accomplish by the end of this year?
• What about this month?
• This week?
• Today?

Big dreams are achieved through small, consistent steps. A clear vision naturally becomes a practical plan when you break it down into manageable pieces.

Step 5: Prepare for the Detours

Every worthwhile journey will encounter setbacks.

You’ll get busy. You’ll become discouraged. Life will interrupt your plans.

That’s why you need two things.

First, schedule your next timeout right now. Don’t tell yourself you’ll revisit your goals “someday” or “next January.” Put it on your calendar and protect that appointment with yourself.

Second, surround yourself with people who will challenge you.

Coach Phil Buchanan once said, “We never grow beyond needing a mentor.” I’d add that we also need someone who cares enough to tell us the truth when we’re drifting off course.

Accountability isn’t criticism—it’s one of the greatest gifts someone can give you.

Live LIFE on Purpose

One of the hardest parts of what we do is watching people make choices that slowly pull them away from the life they truly want—knowing we can only help those who are willing to help themselves.

My dad has always said:

“Progress starts by telling the truth, and the person you have to tell the truth to is yourself.”

That wisdom has stayed with me.

Our mission has never been simply about investments, insurance, or taxes. Those are important tools, but they’re not the destination.

Our passion is helping people live LIFE on purpose.

Helping families align their finances with what matters most.

Helping them experience fewer “have to’s” and more “want to’s.”

Because in the end, that may be one of the best definitions of success there is.

So here’s to taking a timeout, rediscovering your vision, and intentionally building a life you’ll be proud to look back on.