There are many definitions of success.

If you think about it, an Uber driver, who works 4 hours per day and then hangs out with friends and/or family, goes to the park, drink beer, smokes pot and watch Netflix could be more successful in life than the attorney who works 10 hours per days, 6 days a week, doesn’t spend time with his family and it’s too attached to his smartphone.

But being that this is a money blog, we will look at success from a financial point of view. The objective is to earn more money without becoming a slave, without giving up your soul.

When you are a teenager

When you are a teenager, the most successful thing you could do is to have a well-rounded life. If you get straight As, to the exclusion of everything else, you are missing out on some of the most significant years of your life.

In my opinion, school is important, but so are sports, so it is your first romantic relationship, the social ties you develop with your friends, the other activities you do, like music, debate teams, volunteering,  etc. Try many things. Avoid drugs and drink in moderation.

College life

When going to school, please consider school, as an investment. Especially if you are going to go into debt.

For example. If you are going into accounting or engineering, and you know that people are going to be throwing numerous job offers at your feet before your graduation, then it’s ok to get into student debt.

On the other hand. If you are doing a career where you may not have an immediate return on investment, consider not getting into debt. Consider taking fewer classes per semester and having a part-time job. Consider working summers. By all means, try not to get into debt.

One of the biggest problems we have in society is the problem of student debt. I have met individuals who are saddled with debt late into their 40s. Paying for an education which doesn’t have a return on investment is a consumer debt, it’s not an investment.

As when in high school, college life gives you an opportunity to participate in my new activities. I developed my career as a dance teacher from a social club at the university level. We were dancing for fun, I became better and better and ended up being a dance teacher.

Adulthood

Many people equate life success with having a high-profile career, such as medicine, law, engineering, accounting, etc. And maybe it is. But if you get into one of those careers because of social pressure, because your parents suggested it. If you are not happy with your career; then, even if you make lots of money, you are not successful. You have sold your happiness. You have fallen victim to the social script.

Being successful, in my opinion, is doing something you like doing and make a living doing that thing.

For example, I have worked for almost 15 years as a dance teacher. Being a dance teacher is not a career that brings a lot of money, but it has given me so much happiness that it has handsomely compensate for the lack of money.

Don’t get me wrong. If you love one of those high-profile careers, by all means, be a doctor or an attorney. And you will be rewarded double by doing something you love and by getting paid lots of money.

How to succeed financially with a low paying career

Let’s say you are a photographer or a music teacher and you don’t get a lot of gigs. The ideal thing would be to get a job that allows you the opportunity to practice your craft on your time off. For example. How about if you do 4 hours of Uber (or bartending) and two hours of music lessons? You get to make a living and you get to do something you love. Even doing this compromise, I would consider it a successful life. What I would not consider a success would be to sell your soul doing a job you hate, with the goal of one day, at retirement, doing the thing you love. No thank you. That’s not a great compromise.

Never forget to put some money  aside

I believe in the power of compound interest. I believe that no all of us have the desire to be rich, but all of us have the desire to be financially independent. I believe that all of us want to work because we want to, not because we have to.

I believe, that all of us in North America, have to potential of becoming financially independent.

I believe that no matter what’s our income. All of us can always put some money aside. I always suggest putting at least 10% of your income aside.

“A part of all you earn is yours to keep.” – The Richest Man in Babylon

If you put some money aside. You will always have options. Yes, sometimes you have to make a few sacrifices to put that 10% in your bank account, but think of all the power and flexibility it gives you.

When you put money aside, you are not depriving yourself; you are buying freedom, you are buying options.

What’s your definition of success?

And you? What’s your definition of success? What makes one person successful and the other one not successful? Please write your answer in the comments.

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