How do you define 'Successful'? [In Career]

Discussion in 'Working Women' started by ILoveTulips, Dec 14, 2011.

  1. ILoveTulips

    ILoveTulips IL Hall of Fame

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    "She is very successful in her career" - I hear this often nowadays. I wonder how do they define 'Successful'?

    If someone is starting a business from scratch, see some profit, become famous in the surrounding area - then ok he/she can be called as Successful.

    How about people in regular full/part time jobs? Is the adjective 'Successful' still applies here? For e.g., I am in a full time job. I earn enough to take care of me and my family. I am certainly not Failure, but can I be called Successful? Certainly money could not be the only factor. What are the other factors?

    Ladies, Kindly pour your opinions.

    ILT
     
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  2. Coffeelover

    Coffeelover Platinum IL'ite

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    ILT, everyone is successful in their own way. In economic condition if one has a job, they are called successful. If you come in the ranks and manage a lots of people and project, then you are called successful. Title is very important in this area. When I was your age ( 70s) , if the company send you abroad for assignment, you were called successful. now a days, companies send people often to foreign countries.

    You need to know how to play politically to come up in ranks in most of the time. Good luck. Who knows you may become CEO of a MMC soon. Good luck.
    By the way, thsi is my opinion.
     
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  3. shruthisp

    shruthisp Gold IL'ite

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    Yes.. Agree with CL mam. In corporate world its defined in terms of title(desig/role), team size, opportunities, internal awards,appreciations etc.
    But we cant say a person to be successful juz bcoz they fit to the definitions.
    To me a woman who balances out personal and professional life and carries out both well would be successful.
    Again success means different to different people :)
    Juz my opinion..
     
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  4. kiranavvari

    kiranavvari Gold IL'ite

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    Hi TulipsLover,

    This reminded me one of my training session. In that one trainee felt her project was a failure, and what steps she should have taken before that it should have been a successful one. For that trainer asked, define your meaning of project success. We understood that success if only a relative term just similar to "Like" . And, changes as per individual perception. Sorry for deviating a little from main topic.

    I dont feel successful when others tag me as success, I want to feel that myself. I take pride in calling myself successful when I am able to achieve self set goals. and, I want to raise the bar everytime, and try to prove myself everytime.

    As per me, I feel successful,
    when I see my family happy with me in terms of quality time I spend with them, in terms of my affection, and in terms of responsibilities towards them
    And I can still able to complete my professional work in terms of time taken and quality that my superior doesn't get a chance to complain on me, and also focussing on professional growth at the same time
    And, above all these, I still find time to learn new things that gives me my relaxation.
     
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  5. ILoveTulips

    ILoveTulips IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear CL,

    When it comes to a regular job, each and everyone has different criteria for success. I wanted to know what everybody thinks. Your points are all valid. Yes, the same criteria that's considered as a factor for being successful in one period, loses its strength in someother period. E.g., going abroad. And as you said, If one manages to stay in a job when the country faces economic crisis, again that itself counts as being successful. When one climbs in the corporate ladder, his peers think him as successful. If we take in relatives circle, if one manages to buy properties, jewels, manage to perform some rich ceremonies then he is considered to be very successful!

    Thanks a lot CL for your response.

    ILT
     
  6. ILoveTulips

    ILoveTulips IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Shruthi,

    Another valid point! Say in a team of 20 members, if one manages to get a promotion, she is considered as successful. From women point of view, she has to be able to manage both the lives. So if we see, the criteria for women being successful becomes harder and harder right? Especially when the demands are so high from all directions! - Taking care of children, helping with homeworks, managing household chores and also meeting deadlines at work..

    Thanks for sharing your views.

    ILT
     
  7. rmpriya

    rmpriya IL Hall of Fame

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    Well said . I try to hit the same what you have said in my personal and professional life.

     
  8. ILoveTulips

    ILoveTulips IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Kiran,

    Those are very good points shared by you. A person, who get very decent salary, capable of complete he rwork efficiently and skillfully when compared to others, very responsible towards her family, have good bank balance and couple of properties in her name - still may feel 'what's this life? - working day in and day out', because she didn't feel that she is successful.

    And when does she feel successful? What she has to do to feel contented and gratified that she has achieved something? It definitely varies to each person as you all said. Good to know the factors you have...

    Thanks for your comments.

    ILT
     
  9. shwetapaib

    shwetapaib New IL'ite

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    According to me being successful is something defined personally. Success is time bound. The definition of Success keeps changing according with time.

    Few people define knowledge as their success.
    Few people define achieving a particular position in society as success.

    The meaning of success varies from person to person. Having a goal in mind and achieving it is another definition of success.

    The work/task/result that makes you feel happy is also success.
     
  10. Tugga

    Tugga Silver IL'ite

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    Hmmm.......... I am a regular staff, working with United Nations (UN) and mine is a full time job. I consider myself as a very successful in my career. Reason being, I compare myself with my colleagues and the people those are of my age (though they are from different careers) and see the success that I gained all this through.

    I studied in French, but end up working in an English speaking country. I studied masters in Business management, but end up working in a humanitarian field as a community services officer with United Nations High commissioner for Refugees. Like everyone, I started my career in a bank as a management trainee, but didnt like the job at all... Meanwhile I started volunteering for a NGO who supported HIV and AIDS victims, where I happened to meet so many internationals from UN agencies and one fine day I decided to change my career to my preferred work stream. To start with I had to learn English, complete a post graduate course in Human Rights and Child Protection and to top it up, I had to prepare myself to work in war zones, specially where we can not take our families with.

    I started my career from the beginning as a GL staff (means national staff at general category) and then became national professional officer, and then became as a consultant and finally I became an International Professional officer at the age of just 27. I think for Indians its a great success if we are to compare this with globally. My performance appraisals of all these past years mentions my career advancements and successes that I gained.

    More over, I managed to earn so much dollars as well... Which publicized my career as a very successful one among my society.

    Above all, I had to quit my job for some serious family reasons. During that time, I wasnt fair enough to my office as well... But when i needed to resume, i got it back in no time. That speaks out everything...i.e I have been a very successful staff and my organization still needs me.

    Having said that, I think the followings are the major factors that describes one as a successful person in her/his career.

    1) Promotions, that too within a short span of time
    2) Responsibilities, specially the number of people you manage with
    3) Your salary
    4) The exposure of the work (frequent travel to other countries, etc..etc..)
    5) Being as a role model in the office/society/team for whatsoever the reason
    6) Your performance appraisal report
    7) Your other responsibilities such as family, kid, etc..etc..
    8) How much important you are to your office (company)

    This is what I could think now... but the list can go on and on...
     

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