Success is a very relative term. It makes us blind to our originality. Instead of focusing on our visions, we try to fit in somewhere and pretend like it’s okay. The success and happiness will come later. But what if it doesn’t?

I’ve been trying to fit in for a majority of my life. Although I was very familiar with my strengths and I’ve always had endless beautiful visions and dreams I thought that I must strive for what others do. Well, it’s pointless to say that it didn’t make me happy.

Perhaps, I was successful based on the external measures, but I sure didn’t feel like that. Why? Because I knew that my hearted had wanted to channel more of my true self into the world. I could feel the whispers of my soul calling me to step up for myself and my dreams.

Does it sound familiar?

I think it’s time to rethink what success means to each of us. I see success as the state when we create the lifestyle we want. And at the same time, we also express who we are as fully as we possibly can.

For that, you don’t need a certain amount of money in the bank account. It’s more about being satisfied and inspired with your life every day (or at least most of the time). Which also means that anyone of us can attempt to create this kind of life.

More than waiting for the perfect outside circumstances it’s about working with what you have now and finding a state of tranquility within yourself.

Anyone can create their version of a successful life. For each of us, it means something different. It’s about committing to your vision and confidently channeling it into your life. Without comparing to others or not acting on your dreams because someone has told you that it’s too difficult or impossible. It surely is difficult, but you wouldn’t have your dreams if you wouldn’t have the capacity to make them come alive.

The definition of success should come from YOU. 

Almost invisible trap of success

I want to share with you one realization that kept coming to me since I was little but it took me long time to start living more accordingly.

The need to fit in, and be understood and recognized by others, is limiting your potential. @SylviaSalow (Click to Tweet!)

Let’s say that you want to fit in the new company where you had just started working. You take time to get to know your colleagues and work extra hard to prove your boss that he made a good choice hiring you.

Everything goes well, and others seem to be happy with you and your performance. Except, you’re not happy. You wonder how this is possible because working for this company is all you had wanted. And now you feel stressed and empty?

So you work even harder to shake off your feelings. You do your best to suppress what you feel while hoping they’ll disappear. But they don’t.

You wonder what is wrong … Well, nothing, except you try to fit in the wrong peer group. 

You believe that this is what success should look like and these people are like you. But what if they are not and you just waste your time?

What if you’re supposed to go a completely different life path than you think you should (out of fear)?

If we don’t recognize what exactly we want and who we are then it’s so easy to waste time trying to fit in the wrong places.

I think that society shouldn’t dictate the way successful life looks like. Why? Because the society is not happy.

A Key to Success in Life: Channel Your Soul

Take the example of any successful person like Tesla, Coco Channel, Winfrey Oprah, and many others. What did they do is that they channeled their soul.

Channeling your soul is about expressing your uniqueness. It’s about articulating your originality.

I’m speaking about the originality that only you can feel in your heart. You’re the one who feels your inner voice.

You’re the one who has visions of what you’d like to create. Do you think that you have them by accident? Of course, not!

You have your most beautiful visions to act on them. I know that the whispers of the heart can be very silent, but they’re guiding you to do what is best for you.

Inner guidance (your heart speaking to you) is the way of your higher self to guide you to your best potential.

In a nutshell, this is the life purpose for you and everyone else.

We’re meant to act on what we feel and love.

Because your inner guidance is like a very advanced and sophisticated GPS guiding you home. Home is the place where you feel at peace and happy and when you express and share yourself without restrictions.

When you follow what you feel in your heart, it will ALWAYS guide you to live fully and consciously your life purpose. It cannot be otherwise. For that is the reason why you have these glimpses of inspiration, visions, realizations, and why you love to do certain things.

In other words, trying to do things as other people do is the longer path.

Moreover, what means success for them may not bring you any happiness. Because you don’t act on your hearts’ whispers, but you act on theirs (or worse on their fears).

To channel your soul is about having an honest and serious conversation about who you are and what you love. And then go and start acting on it. Step by step.

Unfortunately, no one will hold your hand and tell you now do this and that. (Well, if someone would then run away as quickly as you can). You’re the one responsible for what you do (or not do) with your life!

What has been your heart telling you that you want to create? Inspire us with your beautiful visions!

Sylvia Salow is a motivational public speaker, a spiritual life coach, and an author of two books. In her work, she encourages people to unlock their potential and let go of their fears and emotional pain that stops them from creating the life they desire. You can follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Image courtesy of StockSnap.