Defining what it is to be successful

What does it mean to be successful? Well to answer this I think we need to define what success means.

Success is the result of achievement, therefore success is a state of being in that you can be successful one moment then fail the very next. Staying in a successful state is the key to "long term" success.

So let's look at how you get into a success state in the first place.

Success is a collection of Achievements.

Achievements are a result of Strategies.

Strategies are made as part of a Plan.

Plans are made to achieve a Goal.

And Goals are combined to create a Purpose.

This is therefore the best way to describe how one becomes successful in the long term.

1. Define a Purpose - You really don't need to be all that specific, probably something that defines your general big picture. Who are you and what do you want to achieve with the 30,000 days you have in your life
2. List a set of Goals that are aligned with your Purpose. - they don't necessarily have to be specifically targeted at achieving your Purpose but if they are aligned with your Purpose you'll have better congruence within yourself. Making Goals that are ridiculously different from your Purpose serves only to make you doubt yourself
3. Make Plans - A plan simply is a set of tasks and achievements that you think you need to do in order to accomplish something (ie. your Goal). Plans don't have to be overly complicated as Plans are meant to be tweaked "in the field". A plan is a good plan if the steps you identify to achieve the Goal are actually achievable (ie. earn a million dollars this month may allow you to achieve your Goal but is not a realistic step).
4. Build Strategies - A strategy is defined as a "plan of action". A Plan needs to consist of steps required to achieve your Goal but a Strategy needs to consist of actual details that you will try in order to achieve that step within the Plan. Like Plans, Strategies are meant to be tweaked in the field. A Strategy needs to be tweaked when the result of your actions are not the expected results you had planned on achieving
5. Complete Strategies and Plans - The very act of doing this results in Achievements. These are the desired outcomes of your Plan and Strategic efforts. Though sometimes an Achievement may not be exactly what you desired, even after you tweaked your Plan and Strategy. Never the less an Achievement is an Outcome, whether this Outcome is positive or negative, it is an Outcome.

So if you follow this set of guidelines:

Purpose -> Goals -> Plans -> Strategies -> Achievements -> Desired Outcomes == Success

Success can be measured in very many ways but the problem with Success is that it's subjective. Someone's success could be your failure! As long as you are successful within yourself (ie. by achieving the goals you set out to achieve) then your internal state of Success will be long term!

Good luck! :)