If you were to stop what you're doing – literally, right now – and ask yourself, “How do you define success? What are you in it for?” Would the answer come easily?
No matter your response, the good news is there is no right answer. The definition of success is personal and constantly evolving – and so is how people think, feel, and even talk about it. This is why LinkedIn, J.Crew, and WeWork are teaming up to debut a new discussion series, to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs and goal-getters and hear what they have to say about success, and I had the opportunity to kick-off the first discussion this week at WeWork SF.
At the debut @Work: Style Your Success panel, I was joined by Cynthia Nimmo, CEO of Women’s Funding Network; Michelle Dalzon, Founder of Black-Owned Market; Amanda Holstein, Founder & Editor, Advice from a 20 Something; and Victoria Taylor, Director of Digital Community, WeWork.
From first jobs at Chuck E. Cheese to overcoming career obstacles, here are some key conversation highlights that can help you discover what you’re in it for.
SUCCESS IS PERSONAL
Since professionals spend 90,000 hours working over the course of a lifetime, LinkedIn took a look at what really fuels professionals to do what they do – and we found some interesting nuggets. If you’re going to be making that type of time investment, you’ll want to ensure that what you’re working toward truly maps back to your definition of success.
For Cynthia, whose organization focuses on achieving gender equality, it includes increased access to the resources every female has the right to, like education and health services, in order to achieve their full potential. For Michelle, whose mission involves connecting Black-owned brands to conscious consumers, success is providing the support that is needed for Black businesses to succeed.
No matter where we are in our journeys or how we define success, one thing is clear – we’re all on our own paths, but we’re also all #InItTogether.
SUCCESS EVOLUTION
LinkedIn’s research also found that only 4% of professionals think the corner office is a top indicator of success. Now it's about being your own boss – more than one-third (34%) of professionals would take a 10% pay-cut for the ability to design their own schedule.
What does this tell us? Success evolves over time, and for many of us, it might even evolve from one day to the next. And that’s okay – success for Michelle might mean something different than it did in her first job playing the iconic restaurant mouse mascot, Chuck E. Cheese.
Amanda shared that after college graduation she came to the pivotal realization that success is personal – it doesn’t need to match someone else’s definition. The key is in recognizing that success evolves and embracing that journey.
INSPIRING OTHERS
An overwhelming majority (87%) of professionals say success isn’t just about what you accomplish in your life, it’s about what you inspire others to do.
After facing her own career obstacles, Michelle dedicated herself to helping business owners who didn’t always have access to opportunity. And to put it in Victoria’s words, “It’s not about using your community, it’s about being of use to your community.”
CONNECTING TO COMMUNITY
Community is a powerful thing. The people in our network are a part of our success journey, just as we’re a part of theirs. As Cynthia puts it, “My community is every woman.” Helping others see their value and where their voice can and should be heard is the ultimate form of community. No matter what success means to you, consider the many journeys of those around you, and the true beauty of being #InItTogether.
Check out more on LinkedIn’s recent success research here and share your story about what success means to you – join the conversation using #InItTogether and #StyleYourSuccess.
View the full panel here and join us at LinkedIn’s upcoming panel events with J.Crew and WeWork in New York City (2/21), Atlanta (2/28), and Philadelphia (3/7).
Topics: Advance your career LinkedIn product
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