Defining success is a subjective matter, and it may vary for everyone. For some, success may mean owning a luxurious mansion and driving exotic cars; for others, it may mean achieving a work-life balance and having time for their family. Regardless of what success means to an individual, it is important to take advice from successful people that can inspire them to redefine their approach towards designing their next phase of success.

Lauren Smith Brody, the author of The Fifth Trimester and the founder of The Fifth Trimester consulting firm, defines success as being able to chart one’s own course freely. She believes that success is about having agency over one’s decisions and actions. According to her, one measures success by foregrounding challenges, asking for what they need, and improving culture for everyone around them in the process.

Lauren Brody realized her success when she turned down Goldman Sachs, who wanted her to lead a business development seminar for potential female clients for free. Although she could have gained credibility by putting Goldman Sachs’ logo on her website, she felt it would misrepresent the importance of the wage gap and the Motherhood Penalty. By turning down such an opportunity, she turned a big corner in her business goals, both financially and morally.

Janice Taylor, the founder of Mazu, believes success is all about the process. Being an entrepreneur means being on a relentless pursuit to achieving one’s goals. She thinks of each day as a new challenge to face the dragon and celebrate the victory of being alive. According to Janice, the success lies in the process, as each day presents a new challenge to overcome.

However, she acknowledges that sometimes success may be at odds with life, and knowing when it is time to disconnect is the hardest part. She emphasizes the importance of showing her daughters what it takes to bring a dream alive and how hard work is necessary to solve problems, be it in their personal or professional lives.

For Janice, success has nothing to do with money, houses, or cash; it is about solving big problems. Although she had financial struggles in the past, she believes it was necessary to intimately understand the problem she was born to solve. Her deepest understanding and satisfaction come from knowing that she is here to solve the problem that only she can solve based on her imagination.

John Lynn, the founder of CELA – The First Ever Summit for Accelerators, believes that success is a system, not a condition. Defining success regularly is critical for progress. He thinks that the most important element of progress is committing to a particular point of action, surpassing, achieving, or failing goals. Lynn emphasizes that committing to a particular point of action should not be confused with hitting KPIs.

For John, success is not only about work but also about personal life. He thinks that allowing personal activities, time, and resources to fuel work is the true standard for durable success, happiness, and progress. He advises people to prioritize work and life commitments in such a way that they are aligned with each other. According to John, if it seems that life is pushing against work priorities, then individuals have the wrong work priorities.

One of the lessons that John has learned is that it is more important for others to understand what he does and why he does it rather than just doing it. He has realized that not everyone understands what he does, which has cost him some valuable relationships. Thus, it is essential to clarify to others about one’s work and its purpose to avoid damaging relationships.

In conclusion, success means different things to different people. It is subjective and varies depending on an individual’s background, career goals, and values. However, one thing that remains common is the importance of defining success regularly, prioritizing work-life balance, acknowledging the value of the process, and communicating one’s work and purpose to others. The success stories shared by Lauren Smith Brody, Janice Taylor, and John Lynn demonstrate the importance of these factors in achieving success.