Purpose and meaning — if you have a purpose with a deep meaning you are more successful than most people.
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 Lynn Anderson.
Doctor Lynn is a naturopath, yoga therapist, fitness professional, karma master, published author, international speaker and video producer with over 30 years’ experience in the field of natural health and fitness. She has been featured in Redbook, Reader’s Digest, Huffington Post, Shape, SELF and various other national publications, TV networks and Podcasts. She is the author and producer of the Soul Walking series; How to Master Karma.; How to Master Prosperity and How to Master Vitality; Doctor Lynn’s Proactive-Aging Workouts; Burnout — it happens to all of us; Sex Matters, and other health and fitness courses.
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?
First, at one time in my life I was very poor. But I believed I could change that with hard work. From my book; How to Master Prosperity — Poverty is not a virtue, but it can be a great inspiration.
Second, stress and ill health led me to devote my time and energy to health and wellness body, mind and soul.
We all have myths and misconceptions about success. What are some myths or misconceptions that you used to believe?
That all it took was hard work. Material success is fulfilling and that successful people are happy.
How has your definition of success changed?
I view success from a prosperity point of view. Prosperity is about purpose and meaning and that is the true marker of success. If you are doing what you want from a soulful place, you are successful.
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?
Asking ourselves; what is important? Interesting that many of my friends and students shared with me that their jewelry, purses, shoes, clothes lost all their meaning during the pandemic. The symbols of success no longer defined us. We need to focus on what really matters and that is our health body, mind and soul.
What do you see as the unexpected positives in the pandemic? We would love to hear a few of your stories or examples.
I have developed a stronger bond with fewer people. I think we have learned to do with less which is good for the world; as well as appreciate the simpler things. It gave the world a time to pause and reflect. I quickly changed my classes from in person to online. This meant I could teach from anywhere in the world to anyone. Suddenly zoom became the medium for communication. I have met people from all over the world that I would not have met without the pandemic. All of this is positive.
We’re all looking for answers about how to be successful now. Could you please share “5 Ways to Redefine Success Now?”
- Purpose and meaning — if you have a purpose with a deep meaning you are more successful than most people.
- Wanting what you do. If you love what you do and want to get up everyday and do it you are very successful.
- If at the end of the day you have achieved something, you are successful. Many people are good at acquiring. Few are good at achieving.
- If what you do helps another person, or heals the world at large you are successful
- If at the end of the day you feel a sense of satisfaction with what you have done with the day you are a very successful person.
How would our lives improve if we changed our definition of success?
Defining success; I never once mentioned money, or material things. Those are symbols and although we may use them as some marker of success, they come and they go. If we focus on prosperity which is the willful use of energy, success is then measured by that which benefits both us and the world. We are here on earth to make the world a better place and we do that by seeing success for what it really is; an opportunity to prosper with a purpose.
What’s the biggest obstacle that stands in the way of our redefined success? And what advice would you offer about overcoming those obstacles?
We live in a material world. The biggest obstacles for humans is that we will always define success by the things we possess. Once we realize that these things come and go and what might be a symbol of success one day might not be the next day, we begin to realize why we are here. Karma teaches us that we are here to observe, create and evolve. If we begin to focus on working our karma rather than working for things everything we need and want will come to us. It takes work — that’s karma!
Where do you go to look for inspiration and information about how to redefine success?
I am a karma master and yoga therapist. I study the scriptures of yoga every day and then write and teach. My students inspire me. I truly believe that if you have your health body, mind and soul you are successful. So, every day I do something to support my health body, mind and soul.
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.
Elon Musk; I believe he is doing what he really loves. He is a pioneer and it takes brave people to change the way we look at things so that the way we look at things changes.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
http://www.doctorlynn.com there you can find my book series, Soul Walking and my online classes
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this. We wish you continued success and good health.