We live in a society that appears to have a shared, universal standard for what success looks like. Though there isn't a clear definition to point to, we tend to live as if this perceived definition of success is one size fits all.

The truth is that each of us have the ability to create our own definition of success. Success is most often associated with money. People set their sights on net worth or possessions to define their success.

But there are plenty of other ways to measure success other than your net worth. I believe that defining success by metrics other than finances will lead to a more fulfilling life.

Creating your own definition of success will help you:

• Find joy in your life
• Develop deep, meaningful relationships
• Do the work that you enjoy

What do you want your life to look like?

The first step in creating your definition of success is to visualize what you want your life to look like.

This is a clear picture of what daily life looks like for you. Where you live. Who you live with. What you spend your day doing. How you earn income. How much free time you have and what you do during that time.

Now work backwards from this imagined life to determine how much income it would take to actually live this life. My guess is that it could be less than you think.

What does your journey to success look like?

At this point, it would be easy to put your head down and work your brains out until you reached your pre-determined level of success.

The problem with this is that you'll reach your ideal life and be burnt out, you'll have destroyed relationships and not taken care of yourself along the way.

That is why it is important to also define what your journey to success will look like. Set the guidelines and parameters that you will live by as your work hard towards your goals. How many hours will you work per week? How often are you exercising? When are you connecting with friends and family and investing in relationships?

If you create bad habits along the way they will be harder to break once you've 'made it' to wherever you'd like to be.

Don't move the goal posts.

You now have a clear picture of what your life will look like. You know what you want your life to look like as you work towards your definition of success.

This is the hardest part. Don't move the goal posts. Once you start experiencing a few wins and some success it may become tempting to increase your expectations of what 'enough' is for you. Stay focused on your original vision for success each step of the way.

Comparison is the thief of joy.

Your version of success won't look like everybody else's so there's no point in trying to compare yourself along the way.

It's amazing how quickly satisfaction and contentment can vanish when we compare ourselves to other people. The danger of comparison is that it puts us right back on the treadmill of chasing after someone else's idea of success.

Success is not one size fits all. By clearly defining what success means to you, and living by that, will bring more joy and deep meaning to your life than chasing after someone else's version.