You know, the themes of succeeding and success have been around as long as mankind. Current definitions have endured for at least three generations, namely for ourselves, for our parents, and for our grandparents. Three key points appear to emerge.

First of all, being successful means different things to different people and in different scenarios. Making a fortune is not the only definition. Success may be simply doing one's best and making the most of one's own abilities, whatever they may be.

It may be about making the most of your life. Not only for yourself, but also in terms of your impact on the lives of others. It may mean a combination of success in work life, family life, social life, and in life at various stages from birth through to maturity.

We are only blessed with a single life. Therefore, we need to look at life success in the broadest possible way. This means perceiving it in its totality, in which the work part of our lives, naturally forms a critical component, since we all have to earn an income, to live.

Second, success is more about something that is intended. Success does not just happen by accident (although of course luck can play a role). By this I mean that success, by whatever definition, is something invariably aimed at or sought out.

I studied 100 famous people in the world who were extremely successful, and found that 85% were real go-getters, or at least ambitious, when they were youngsters. Being successful in life was a deliberate intention. For them, chance, or success by accident, was not to be counted on.

Thirdly, life success has been considered in a similar way for three generations. So grandparents, parents and young people have comparable notions when it comes to thinking about success in life. Accordingly, influence by the family, particularly parents, is likely to be a critical aspect, at the heart of developing success in life.

Having studied the success patterns behind world famous people, 65% received positive influence from their families, when they were young. This took the form of role modeling their parents. Also, it stemmed from specific parental advice.

Now comes the crunch time. Try to define life success for yourself. Obviously, your definition will cover how you make a living. But also, it will need to relate to your whole life, not just the work part of it.

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