January 5

How do you define success for yourself, for your work, for your team? Do you have a clear sense of where you are aiming, or are you simply marking your time by projects completed and promotions earned?

Many people end up in a place they never intended because they spend their entire life chasing whatever opportunity crosses their field of view. They just take the next logical step instead of making decisions based on a core set of values that help them determine not just what they can do but what they should do.

Mature creative pros know what they value and bend their lives toward a clear definition of success.

If you were to define success for yourself this year, how would you do it?

How about in the next five years?

Ten?

Your entire career?

When you look back at the body of work you’ve built and the people you have impacted, what do you want to see?

Now, try to establish a few guiding principles that might help you make decisions as you navigate toward your ultimate objectives. “I seek to be in the company of brilliant collaborators,” or “I aim to do work that stretches me creatively,” or “I seek opportunities to grow the skills of others.”

Simply establishing a few of these guiding principles will help you filter opportunities that come your way and chart a course toward a body of work you’ll be proud of.

You must establish principles to guide your decisions.

Question:

What is your definition of success for yourself? Your work? Your team?