The meanings of “success” are varied. Generally the meaning of success is stated as; “a person or thing that achieves desired aims or attains prosperity.” Of course, the perception of success can vary greatly from individual to individual – what are the aims? What is “prosperity”? I tried to write a simple formula for success for my children and it came down to a simple success equation. Perhaps this may be helpful to others. I think this works well for both personal success and business success.
The Success Equation:
G (level of gratitude) divided by E (level of entitlement) plus A (level of action) = S (level of success)
There are lots of nuances and ways for interpreting the words “gratitude” and “entitlement”. But in general, I think the formula for success, as perceived by others and within yourself stem from not only taking action, but being thankful, humble, positive and forward thinking. If those success traits are offset or overshadowed by “if-only” scenarios, being self-centered, judging others, a lack of empathy, or a focus on what you deserve and are owed then one will never achieve high levels of success in work or life.
So, if you are grateful and moving forward towards your goals, have no fear. You have already implemented the success equation! More gratitude and more action will only result in even higher levels of success.
Jeff Nicholson is the founder and Creative Director at 
One Response
I like the formula – simple to remember and relevant to business and life. I think I’ll inform my teenagers of this next time they feel entitled to take the car and leave me stranded at work without one.