Redefining Success: The Pursuit of Whole-Life Fulfillment

I would have said, “To become a millionaire, get six-pack abs, or marry my dream girl.” These goals aren’t “wrong,” but they oversimplify what it means to be successful. Why do we tend to respond this way? It stems from our culture’s oversimplified perspective on success and happiness.

We’ve all heard stories of multimillionaires. They chase riches so much that they barely know their kids. Given the stats, you likely know a young person who got an eating disorder while trying to get the perfect body. Society defines this as the “perfect” body. We all know of a celebrity who, despite their success, battles with their mental health. Then, some become obsessed with quick fixes. They gamble on Dragon Slots and other games of chance, hoping to get rich. They end up trapped in a cycle of fleeting highs and lasting lows.

This illustrates that measuring success by one or two factors is bound to fall short. Blindly chasing an idea of success can cause great harm and unhappiness.

In the U.S., many would equate a successful life with wealth or status, but why has that become the standard? Isn’t there more to a fulfilling life than money and recognition? How did we come to accept such a limited and misleading definition?

As you may have found when answering the first question, “success” is hard to define. It’s esoteric. The reality is that there is no single right definition of success. The Oxford English Dictionary defines success as “achieving a goal.” One of my favorite quotes is from Earl Nightingale. He describes success as “the progressive realization of a worthy ideal.” Simply put, success belongs to anyone who has a goal they’re working toward. It’s for those who are working toward it. Success is relative. It depends entirely on the individual and how they pursue their “worthy ideal.”

Society has fallen short in providing a well-rounded framework for defining “worthy ideals.” I aim to redefine success from a “whole-life” perspective. Tony Robbins’s “Wheel of Life” model is key in this process. It helps measure success in various areas of life. There are a few versions out there. So, I’ve modified this one. I’ve adapted it to include the categories and subcategories I like most.

Activity: At Tony’s events, participants must rate eight areas. Use a scale from 0 (center) to 10 (outer edge). Afterward, mark your ratings by drawing horizontal lines at the corresponding levels. This will graphically represent your wheel. Here’s an example of what a completed wheel might look like.

Ask yourself an important question. Would the journey be smooth if your life depended on traveling with wheels shaped like this? What steps can you take to create balance and ensure a steadier ride? This framework perfectly complements the goal-setting process. Most things we seek to get or become fit within these eight “life buckets.”

Many of us have neglected certain areas of life, and that’s not necessarily our fault. Our “Wheel of Life” may lose balance without role models of whole-life success.

So what’s the solution? How can you bring balance to your Wheel of Life for a smoother ride? The key is to cultivate self-awareness and a fresh perspective. It’s simple in concept but often hard in practice. You must know what you want and why. Check which areas of your life you’ve neglected and what needs to change. When success is defined by only one or two aspects of life, it often leads to a sense of emptiness and a craving for more. It may seem you must focus on one area over others. Our time and energy are finite and must be divided wisely. But they are all complementary. Success breeds more success, while failure tends to lead to further setbacks.

I like Nightingale’s definition. The “right” answer to success is deeply personal and unique to us as we pursue happiness. Success is the schoolteacher passionately educating because it fulfills their purpose. It’s the woman who chooses to be a devoted wife and mother, excelling in the role she values most. It’s the man running the corner gas station with pride because it aligns with his vision of a meaningful life. True success is living authentically. It is embracing the path that brings you joy.