Practical Ways to Achieve Success

Written by: Jhon Abaga

Date Written: June 30, 2021

Date Published: July 4, 2021

Date Updated: April 30, 2026

Success is often seen as the trophy at the end of a long race. Yet, what we often forget is that the journey matters more than the prize. It is finding your purpose and growing along the way that defines true success.

Jeffrey Klubeck (2018) and Sherry Starnes (2015) agree that success means achieving a certain goal or attaining a desirable status.

How do we actually decide if someone has made it? Usually, we fall into the trap of checking the standard boxes: the bank balance, the job title, the fancy degrees, or how many assets they have managed to pile up. For me, that is a rather limited perspective on life.

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Real success is a change in who you are. It is the quiet victories—the skills, perspective, and character you develop along the way, not the status you achieve at the finish line. To move forward, replace vague goals with a plan based on the ability to tolerate discomfort. Stop measuring external outcomes and start measuring the quality of your actions.

Sherry Starnes (2015) pointed out that success is really about knowing the reason behind your hustle.

Success is not the reward at the end—it is who you become along the way.

Redefining a Successful Life

• Stop the Comparison Game: Learn to be genuinely happy for other people. I understand that it is not always easy, but resenting someone else's success will not accelerate your own. Life is not a race—we have our timeline. Let go of the need to beat everyone and focus on being better than you used to be. That is what actually matters.

  
  

• Learn to Like Your Own Progress: Give yourself credit and have contentment with your current progress. Comparing yourself to others only hinders your own growth. Be consistent in what you are doing, powered by self-credit. Find joy in the grit of your own journey and fulfillment in your efforts.

  
  

• Keep Moving (Without the Baggage): When you finally stop comparing and start appreciating your own hustle, a weird thing happens: the weight lifts. You can move toward your goals without that heavy baggage in your heart. Focus all that energy on your own growth.

  
  

• Celebrate the Small Stuff: Celebrate the small victories because they provide fire for the great things later. Practice gratitude on your journey—be thankful, no matter how big or tiny your accomplishment is. Every piece of progress you make builds the foundation for the future you are creating. Pause for a while and ask yourself. Is there one small win you have had this week that you have not given yourself credit for yet?

We often overlook the small stuff, but learning something new, even if it feels tiny, is a real achievement as long as you put in the sweat and effort to get there. Success is happening all around us in different parts of our lives. You can be winning in ways you do not even realize yet. You must train your eyes to see progress instead of just the finish line.

If you are pouring yourself into something that actually means something to you—whether that is a career, a new skill, or just a hobby you love—then you are already successful.

In the end, don't just focus on reaching the goal—master the path.

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"Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning."

- Benjamin Franklin

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References

Sherry Starnes. (2015, May 17). Achievement Vs. Success. Hemp Workx Independent Affiliate. Retrieved From http://sherrystarnesonline.com/2015/05/achievement-vs-success/

Klubeck, Jeffrey M.A. (2018 November 11) Mind The Gap: Success Vs. Achievement. Get A Klu Inc. Retrieved From https://getaklu.net/mind-the-gap-success-vs-achievement/