When people list their goals it’s common to see ‘to be successful’ as a goal. Which raises question of what is the definition of success. Most people measure their success by conditioned responses e.g. the social importance of their careers, or their income.

I don’t agree with this. I am influenced by other definitions of success. There is the personal industry definition of ‘progressive realization of a worthwhile goal’. Then there is the spiritualist leaning towards the achievement of happiness in life as success. For me fulfilling one’s potential in the gifts they have is important. Creating a legacy of our time on the planet is another. Being a great parent and partner is another. Providing financially for those who depend on us another. Living life with choice another.

Note none of my definitions of success rank high or even exist on the physical preparation industry stereotypes of success.

I believe most of you are living your life in pursuit of the values imposed on you by conditioning of industry and upbringing. I am not suggesting this is wrong – but I am saying you are capable of more.

Fifteen years into my career, I had achieved things few if any had in my country and industry. Yet I realized that whilst I had ticked all the professional boxes and achieved the envy of my peers, I had very little to show for it financially speaking.

And I see this in the communication from many – the impact on their cash flow if they take a day or more away from their work. So I became a student of financial, business, and many other holistic disciplines. No, not what my peers do or did. But as a result – I now do what they can’t or will not. I work by choice – who I want to work with, where I want to work and when.

Will most of you achieve this? I doubt it. Why? Is it because you are not capable? Not at all. The first reason I know most of you won’t achieve this (in other words fail at this) is this – most of you won’t start. Simple as that. Your failure to make a start is a guarantee of your failure to achieve. Why won’t you start? There are going to be many reasons, including but not limited to:

• That’s not what most of your peers are focusing on or doing.
• What would they think?
• You were raised to believe you didn’t deserve or could not achieve these things.
• What would they think?
• I need more information or other procrastinating concepts.
• I will do x when y happens.

Then some of you who do make a start will quit. You will lack the determination to learn new mindsets and develop new skills. You will default to your old ways, your comfort zone. You will fall to the pressure of your peers, friends and family who don’t like that you are doing something they are not.

That’s why I say most of you will not achieve in the area of having choice in life. You see there are strong commercial forces that seek to keep you on the merry-go-round of the economic cycle. In their eyes you are on this earth to work, pay taxes, and pass on. You are not on this earth to learn how to get ahead, break away from the slavery and need to work every day or else you go backward, to learn how to rise above the masses, and to learn advanced ideas such as tax minimization.

So you need to decide – are you going to live your life on your terms or on someone else’s terms. Are you going to be a person of choice or a person of conformity to your industry’s values? Are you going to live life wondering what might have been or working towards what you can be? Are you going to fulfil someone’s definition of success for your life or your own?

Are you striving to be a ‘success’ in the eyes of conventional industry values? Which I believe is a failure to fulfil your potential. Or are you writing your own definition of success?

Only you can decide that. People who put their hand up and say ‘Ian teach me how I can live life with choice’ are not your average people. But I respect how most of you are compelled to be average.