Don’t confuse success with happiness. While you can have both at the same time, they’re not the same thing; and don’t assume that being successful will automatically make you happier.
Have you ever noticed how often we equate success with more? Whether that’s more products, more profits, more activities or more accomplishments, we buy into the belief that we have to do more to have more to be more. And that will sum up to success. And then along comes The Great Resignation. Where employees are signaling that the “more” that’s being offered — even more pay, more perks, and more PTO — isn’t summing up to success for them. We visited with leaders who are redefining what success means now. Their answers might surprise you.
As a part of this series I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Andrew Rosen.
Andrew is the president of Diversified LLC, a comprehensive financial planning and investment firm that is ranked #9 in the top 50 fastest growing RIAs by FA Magazine. As a financial planner, he forges lifelong relationships with clients, coaching them through all stages of life and guiding them to better achieve their life goals. Andrew loves helping others by spreading his knowledge on finance, investments and the pursuit of happiness, and does so through his nationally recognized blog, his contributions to Forbes and Kiplinger, and his appearances in other publications and television programs.
Thank you for making time to visit with us about the topic of our time. Our readers would like to get to know you a bit better. Can you please tell us about one or two life experiences that most shaped who you are today?
One of the life experiences that most shaped who I am today was losing my father. Through smart planning, my mom was left in a good financial position, and it changed the course of my life — I wanted to help others plan for their own lives financially. I feel lucky that I get to help others prepare not only for the unforeseen aspects of their future, but that I get to see the most excellent parts of their lives, from their weddings and the birth of their children to the celebrations of their retirement.
We all have myths and misconceptions about success. What are some myths or misconceptions that you used to believe?
I think, like many young people, that when I was young I thought success was just an end point. In reality, success is a journey.
How has your definition of success changed?
Success takes time, and the journey is part of the fun. There’s no one definition to success either — what’s successful to me may not be successful to you. You can’t get into the comparison game either; you need to define what success looks like for you and you alone.
The pandemic, in many ways, was a time of collective self-reflection. What changes do you believe we need to make as a society to access success post pandemic?
Post-pandemic, I think we need to remember that we see the same people on the way up as we do on the way down. There are plenty of people that turn into great big successes, and then quickly lose that success. The way that they treated people along the way is what matters, because when you’ve lost it all, people will remember how you treated them and act accordingly.
What do you see as the unexpected positives in the pandemic? We would love to hear a few of your stories or examples.
One positive from the pandemic is that it gave us all a chance to redefine what success looked like. Perhaps it wasn’t going to an office for 16 hours a day anymore. For some people, it was starting a new business that they had always been passionate about, or finding a new hobby, or starting a family. It gave us a place to reset and redefine what success means.
We’re all looking for answers about how to be successful now. Could you please share “5 Ways To Redefine Success Now?”
- Think of wealth holistically beyond money. Wealth is so much more than what’s in your bank account — it’s how you’re able to spend your time, the people that you spend it with, the things that you enjoy doing. Cultivate your time and your life so that you’re truly wealthy.
- Understand that success isn’t quick. Being successful, however you define it for yourself, won’t come easily or overnight. Good things take time, and they’re well worth it, but you’ll need to be patient and persevere.
- Prepare yourself for criticism and scrutiny. The more successful you are, the more people are apt to criticize you and scrutinize what it took to get you there. It helps to develop a thick skin.
- Don’t confuse success with happiness. While you can have both at the same time, they’re not the same thing; and don’t assume that being successful will automatically make you happier.
- Challenge the status quo. You won’t get where you want to go if you continue to do what you’ve always done, so you need to challenge your status quo and stretch outside of your comfort zone.
How would our lives improve if we changed our definition of success?
If we change our definition of success to something that is more personalized to each of us, our success may be better aligned with our own values and happiness. It would be a sad, drab world if we were all successful in exactly the same way, so we need to celebrate our own individuality and personal successes.
What’s the biggest obstacle that stands in the way of our redefined success? And what advice would you offer about overcoming those obstacles?
Comparison is often the thief of joy, and we tend to compare ourselves to others. The way our neighbor is successful is not necessarily the way we’re successful and that’s ok. Just like how we don’t all have the same talents and expertise, we don’t all have success that looks the same, so it’s important not to compare what success looks like because you may be successful in your own right.
Where do you go to look for inspiration and information about how to redefine success?
I pull inspiration from other business leaders, coaches and professionals that I work with.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He, she or they might just see this if we tag them.
I’d love to have breakfast or lunch with the boss himself, Bruce Springsteen. On so many levels I’d love to have a meal with him. His music has tied my family together and been part of a special bonding with my father, may he rest in peace.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
You can find me at https://diversifiedllc.com on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or Pinterest.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this. We wish you continued success and good health.
About The Interviewer: Karen Mangia is one of the most sought-after keynote speakers in the world, sharing her thought leadership with over 10,000 organizations during the course of her career. As Vice President of Customer and Market Insights at Salesforce, she helps individuals and organizations define, design and deliver the future. Discover her proven strategies to access your own success in her fourth book Success from Anywhere and by connecting with her on LinkedIn and Twitter.