How do you define success?

DMAIC

DMAIC

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Success is relative for everybody. I'm not talking about bank accounts (we've already got a thread for that). What criteria do you use to determine if your properties are optimized for success?
 
All I've ever wanted out of life was to be free. Growing up in serious poverty I felt the need to look after my mum so she doesn't have to work another day in her life.

I guess success to me is the day I can financially support my mum so she doesn't have to work another day in her life & buy her a house as we've always rented our whole lives.
 
  • Freedom of leisure and experience
  • Absence of concerns about financial security
  • Being able to help provide to friends and family and be charitable

When I have those, I will consider myself totally successful. As of now, I consider myself partially successful by my own standards. I don't really bother too much about society's standards (being a sucker to marketing).

All of these items are directly correlated to having far more cash flow and assets than expenses and debts. Thus, I grind.

But I notice that this wasn't your question. Your question was actually:

What criteria do you use to determine if your properties are optimized for success?​

That's a tricky question and hard to answer.

Before Traffic:
- I want to have a design that balanced between three points, which are aesthetic beauty without interfering with user experience and conversion.
- I want to have a solid monetization plan.
- I want to know that the site and business plan are both architecturally and hierarchically sound. This keeps you from flip-flopping and waving your arms around later.

During Traffic:
- The typical metrics of bounce rate, interactions per session, conversion rates.
- Earnings per conversion. Is this as maximal as it can be? Am I making the most money I can out of the amount of traffic I can? Split testing design and monetization.

That's basically it. The success of the project is getting out of the red into the black, consistent positive cash flow, and sucking as much money out of it as possible, based on the niche, the traffic, and monetization options.
 
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Mine mimic what others here have said, especially CCarter.

To me success is having options. Options are the most powerful thing any of us can have in regards to what this topic is about.

I know guys that are powerful attorneys and doctors that have more money than all of us together but they are tied up in their work or family life that they can't escape and "do what they want, when they want".

I also know "poor" peope that take full advantage of their situation and travel the world and do what they want, when they want.

When I had a shit ton of cash laying around in a shoebox and could live off it for 3-4 years, I didnt go out and buy a McMansion and a Lambo, I bought a simple ass house in my area, 2 "normal" SUVs, and took the rest and did what I wanted, when I wanted for the next several years.

That's success. It's also freedom. If you don't have true freedom, you can't be successful and I think the way to freedom is having options and acquiring options.

You can be dirt fucking poor and find ways ( and make choices ) that give you more options in life. Options are key.

The me, enough options allow you to do what you want, when you want just as well as money.

To give you an example. I didn't wan't to spend my own money for trips and vacations this year, so I applied for like 8 different credit cards with big bonus miles and points when I got accepted.

I read up how to rack up the initial spend without going into debt, and got my miles and points this year. I can fly for free when I want, how I want and I can also stay in hotels when and how I want from Hiltons's in Bora Bora in huts over the water for free to Starwood properties all around for free.

I can also fly first class, round trip, to any country in the world right now.. all for free. Most of this cost me $0 but did cost me some time and 1 small headache for a day ( but it was worth it ).
 
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Success means being able to see my family thrive.

Thrive, not getting by.

So not being caught with my pants down in an emergency, having a nice place to live, being able to travel and afford everything to give my kids an outstanding education (courses, sports, travel) and thus chances for their lives.

My wife and I will not be left behind, either. While I am not one for outrageous expenses, nice travel, a gourmet (I mean that - gourmet) meal once in a while and some nice gadgets make me happy and should be included. Again, education (travel, courses, materials) for us, too, please.

Anyone with a family will be able to attest you need much more money than you might think to do all that.

::emp::
 
emp said:
Anyone with a family will be able to attest you need much more money than you might think to do all that.

::emp::
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This is true, but it's doubly hard because of time. Even if you are able to scale your income, you still have less time to work, assuming you're spending time with the kids. Efficiency and effectiveness become pretty crucial, along with time management.
 
Success boils down to coming to terms with your own demons, living in the moment, and knowing you wouldn't want to be doing anything else. It is also the ability to help those who you love to do the same. Business, money, power, sex, love, etc are just vehicles to obtain this feeling/state of mind.
 
Stephen said:
I think having time is more precious than money, although money can buy time and freedom!
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Perhaps, for you, it's actually the balance of time and money then.
 
Success is making a living doing what you are good at and enjoy. Too many people make lots of money doing what they hate, and don't enjoy their success as a result. On the opposite end, you have people who do what they love, yet struggle to make ends meet, or don't see the fruits of their labor. True success is being able to be truly talented at your craft, bring something new to the market, and see the fruits of your labor.
 
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