Success is a very challenging word to actually define. Albert Einstein said, “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” George S. Patton defined it as “how high you bounce when you hit bottom.” And Winston Churchill’s definition stands out as a favorite: “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”

But what does that word mean to you? A popular motivational site has given us 20 new definitions of success, including “Success is understanding you cannot keep what you don’t give away”, “Success is believing you can”, and our favorite, “Success is understanding the difference between need and want”. Even the Business Insider, which publishes many stories on the subject, has a staff with differing definitions. They’ve released an article which includes 9 very “successful” people’s definitions of the word. Everyone from the Harvard Business Review to individual bloggers like Marie Forleo continues to define and re-define the word.

So what does it mean to you? That’s the bottom line. We all are raised with a different idea of what it means to really “make it” in the world. Rarely do we find our childhood aspirations are the reality of our adulthood. Should that be followed with disappointment or self-loathing? That depends on how you measure your own accomplishments. Does being successful mean being rich? Or does the richness of your life itself count as success? Does owning a corporation and a private jet mean you have arrived? Or does raising a family hold an equal value?

When we change our own view of what success is, we allow ourselves to follow things in life that enrich us, fulfill us, and result in a personal success that cannot be defined. At Interpreter Education Online, we believe in the self-starter, in the businesses that want to use outside the box thinking for comprehensive training of their employees, and in the success of achieving personal goals. It’s why we offer courses that are available on your time, with your needs in mind. Take a moment this holiday to think about your definition of success, and if it may need tweaking. And remember to visit our website, LinkedIn page, and Facebook page for special holiday deals and to leave your thoughts and comments about success to motivate others!