Defining Success: Money, Family, Balance and Happiness

Success is one of those words we all think we understand… until we stop and actually look at it. It tends to be measured in numbers. Turnover, number of clients, bonuses, growth, targets hit, targets smashed. Bigger figures, better results, job done.

To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with that. Those things matter. They pay the bills, create security, and keep businesses moving. Over time, I’ve realised they’re only part of the picture.

As I’ve got older, and especially as I’ve watched my children grow up, my idea of success has quietly shifted. Not disappeared, just changed shape.

The numbers-based version of success

In business, it’s very easy to get caught up in statistics.

• How much did we turn over this year?

• How many clients do we have now?

• Is revenue up compared to last year?

• Could we be doing more?

Those numbers are useful. They tell a story. They help us make decisions and when you run a business, you can’t ignore them, nor should you. They can also become a bit of a trap.

When success is measured purely in figures, there’s always another target. Another milestone. Another comparison. Another reason to feel like you should be doing more, earning more, growing faster. Sometimes, without realising it, you can end up chasing numbers while missing what’s actually happening around you.

When perspective changes

For me, the biggest shift in how I view success didn’t come from a big career moment or a business milestone. It came from watching my kids grow up. Seeing their happiness, their stability, and the importance of being present made me reflect on what I was really working for. Not just what I was working towards.

Suddenly, success wasn’t just about how busy I was or how much I earned. It became about balance. About being there. About building a life that worked alongside family life, not one that constantly competed with it. That doesn’t mean ambition disappears, it just becomes more selective.

Success as freedom and flexibility

One of the biggest markers of success for me now is freedom.

• Freedom over my time.

• Freedom to make decisions.

• Freedom to be accountable to myself.

Running my own business gives me the flexibility to work in a way that aligns with the values that matter to me. Not just financially, but personally too.

That doesn’t mean every day is calm or perfectly balanced (let’s be realistic). It does mean I get to choose how my business operates, who I work with, and what I say yes... and no to. That autonomy feels like a quiet but powerful form of success.

Success isn’t either/or

I don’t think success is a choice between money or happiness, ambition or family, growth or balance. For most of us, it’s about finding a combination that works and accepting that it may look different at different stages of life.

Earlier on, success might be about proving something: to yourself, to others, or to the world. Later, it might be about sustainability, stability, or simply not feeling constantly stretched. Neither version is more “correct” than the other.

The problem with comparison

One thing that makes defining success harder than it needs to be is comparison. It’s easy to look at other people’s businesses, careers, or lives and assume they’ve cracked the code. But what we see is usually just the surface, the headline numbers, the achievements, the outward success.

What we don’t see is the trade-offs, the stress, the long hours. The things that had to be sacrificed along the way. Success that looks impressive from the outside doesn’t always feel the same on the inside and that’s worth remembering when you’re measuring your own.

Redefining success (without the pressure)

I don’t think success needs a dramatic redefinition or a bold declaration. Sometimes it’s a quiet realignment.

For me, success now looks like:

• Running a business with values I believe in

• Having flexibility and control over my time

• Being present for my family

• Creating stability rather than constant pressure

• Feeling accountable to myself, not just external expectations

That doesn’t make traditional achievements irrelevant, it just means they are no longer the only measure.

Final thoughts

Success isn’t a fixed destination or a universal checklist. It’s personal, fluid, and shaped by experience. It can be found in growth and ambition. It can also be found in balance, freedom, and stability.

Sometimes, the most meaningful form of success isn’t the one that looks impressive on paper, it’s the one that quietly supports the life you want to live.