How do I know if I am successful?

I have just finished reading Napolean Hill's classic book, "Think and Grow Rich" for the second time.

Books on being a successful are possibly countless. This is just the one I was told about. In it are some "recipes" for success. At the end of the book I was left to ask myself this question-am I successful and how do I know?

I know for some of you similar thoughts have passed through your head about how success has been defined by answering questions like- Am I in the right job? Is this the way my romantic relationship is supposed to go? Could I have better friendships? Am I in the right religion? Am I making smart choices?

If I were to ask you, if you consider yourself successful, how did you get that way? How did you go from being unsuccessful to being successful? I want to use my professional journey as a way to look at what we did and see if we can come to a conclusion about what success looks like and how to attain it.

Professionally, by our company's standards, we have been successful. We have a positive sales trend and most of our customers have positive things to say about us. From a restaurant point of view that is successful.

My friend, Alex had a goal to move back to his home state and take over a restaurant there. He told me his plans for relocation over two years before it happened in a business plan.

By the end of the month we will be in Athens, GA with that goal crossed off our list. This change of scenery was desired, planned, hoped for, prayed about and achieved. Alex has successfully accomplished his goal of relocating. How did we do that?

Did we read a special book? Did we have the right friends? Did we have the ideal business partners? Did we have the perfect training plan? What role did our religion play?

One of the best questions I have ever been asked and have asked others-When was the last time you got angry? My answer was I get angry when I see people's potential not lived out. When people don't even attempt to be better than they are.

When I see an athlete not hustle, when I see an employee not go the second mile for their peer, when I see a church member complain about empty pews and do nothing during the week to change it, I get a little angry.

My next thought nest between that answer and the examination of how my professional life has been labeled successful.

How does one become successful? You choose.

Success is a choice. In "Minute with Maxwell" and I'm sure in other writings of his, John Maxwell says success is determined by our daily agenda. The choices you make today either make you successful or not. 

Napolean Hill said to have a definite major purpose. Alex Clark made up his mind before he even began his plan. Napolean and Alex decided what they wanted, wrote it down, made a plan, and then worked really hard at making it happen. 

Let's take some notes. Let's watch how they do it and then apply it to ourselves.

If you are somewhere between a rock and a hard place and don't know which way is up-take time to decide what you want, focus on it, and then work at becoming your own version of successful.