If you want to achieve personal success, there are some critical decisions that you need to make. These decisions will help to determine the kind of person you become and how successful you ultimately are. While some people are content with making more minor decisions in life, others feel that taking risks is necessary for true success. Regardless of your approach, here are some big decisions you need to make for a successful life.

Think about your definition of success

Success is not simply making money or achieving a state of power. Instead, it’s better to think of success holistically as personal triumph and accomplishment. Success lies in progress towards meaningful goals – deepening your understanding of a skill or ability or succeeding at a task that brings you joy, for example, creating something beautiful. This means that by setting yourself smart goals, you can track your progress and be motivated to keep going. When you strive for these sorts of plans and see the positive results of your labors, when you can reflect upon an achievement and feel proud of that accomplishment – that is true success.

Consider how much time you are willing to invest in achieving success.

Achieving success is no small feat. It takes hard work, dedication, and, quite often, a significant commitment of time and energy. To achieve meaningful success, you must be willing to put in the necessary effort. Depending on your goals and how much progress you want to make, the amount of time required will vary from one individual to another. While some may be able to jumpstart their success with just a few hours per week of focused effort, others may find that they need to dedicate more extended periods to reach their desired destination. Whatever path you choose and however much time you decide to invest, recognize that it is only through diligent effort that you can experience success.

Decide on your top priorities.

When you think of success, it is essential to consider what matters most to you in life. What do you value most? Achieving a sense of personal fulfillment? Making money? Attaining a certain level of power or status? Regardless of your top priority, it is essential to remember that this should guide the decisions you make to reach your goals. If you want to achieve success, it is necessary to keep your priorities focused and prioritize those tasks that will bring you closer to the goal.

Factor in the risks you are willing to take

To reach success, many people are willing to take risks. They may step out of their comfort zone, invest in new skills or solutions, pursue new opportunities, and take a chance on a challenge. Taking risks can be scary and unpredictable, but careful planning and sound decision-making can pay off richly when done right. Ultimately, taking risks can help you expand your horizons and enable you to grow while at the same time giving you invaluable life experiences that will help define your success story. With risk comes reward–it is simply up to you to determine what degree of risk you are comfortable with to reach your goals.

Look into who you want to surround yourself with.

Surrounding yourself with the right people is crucial to your path to success. You want to build relationships with mentors and coaches who can give you direction and guidance while pushing you to reach your full potential. It also helps when you have friends who understand you and your goals and can offer encouragement and support. Finally, throughout it all, your family will be an essential pillar of strength, providing unconditional love whenever you’re feeling overwhelmed or just need someone in your corner. With the help of these relationships, you will have the power to conquer any challenge that stands in your way.

Gather the resources you need

Achieving success in any area of life requires more than just one resource, but an efficient combination of resources. Money may be necessary to secure certain materials or tools to complete a task. Higher education can often provide access to knowledge and information crucial for succeeding in specific fields. However, skills – whether they are technical, interpersonal, or leadership – are possibly the most important type of resource that should not be overlooked when trying to strive towards success. With the right balance and utilization of all these available resources, one can have an edge on the road to success.

Everyone’s definition of success is different, but there are some commonalities among successful people. Successful people are usually risk-takers, invest time and resources into achieving their goals, and surround themselves with positive influences. What does success mean to you? How much time and effort are you willing to put in to achieve it? Prioritize your values and make a plan – success is attainable if you have determination and grit.