Why defining personal success is crucial for business owners 

Setting goals is one of the key starting points for any successful business – after all, if you don’t know where you’re heading, how can you get there? But a recent LinkedIn post by one of Capital Space’s Milton Keynes customers prompted us to think that there is a question that all business owners need to ask themselves before they begin setting goals: What does success look like to me? Why is this question so important – and how could asking this question change your mindset to achieve more holistic success across both your work and professional lives?  

What’s made us think about the meaning of success? 

A thought-provoking LinkedIn post from Joe Gilbert, founder of Giraffe Digital, based at our Milton Keynes Business Centre, opened our eyes to thinking about the meaning of success. Joe shared:  

“It seems like everybody is obsessed with growth. ‘If you’re not moving forward, you’re moving backward.’ ‘You need to develop a success mindset.’ ‘Why be average when you can be brilliant?’

“This is the mantra I subscribed to for ten years growing my business. But last year everything changed for me. I stopped asking myself ‘What does success look like?’ and started asking myself ‘What does ENOUGH look like?’ – because having enough IS success.

‘We stopped taking on clients that were a bad fit for our business, because we already have enough good clients. This means I can work less and play more. I stopped oozing over luxury houses, because I accepted that my house is perfectly good enough for my needs. I stopped wishing I looked liked the guys on Love Island, because having two eyes, four working limbs and a healthy body is enough. I realised that living in a nice place, free from war, having my health and my family, and being able to pay the bills and put food on the table IS a great life. I am grateful, because I know so many do not have these things. I have enough. And honestly I’ve never been happier 😌 ☺️” 

Why is defining what success looks like for you so important? 

As Joe indicated, for business owners, success is often measured by external markers: revenue growth, team size, awards, or industry recognition. But these benchmarks don’t always reflect what truly matters to you personally. Without a clear, personal definition of success, it’s easy to chase goals that look impressive on paper but leave you feeling unfulfilled. 

Defining success for yourself helps you make decisions that align with your values, lifestyle, and long-term wellbeing — and that alignment is what makes your business journey sustainable and rewarding. 

Career Fulfilment Coach Laura Cloke, who has run workshops at our Churchill Square Business Centre in Kings Hill, Maidstone, explains: “The definition of the word success is merely about achieving an aim, but as a society we have come to define success in our careers as being particular things. These could be job title, status, salary or other markers that show what we have achieved. The problem with these definitions of success is that they don’t link to what is important for an individual. 

“What we want from work is unique to us and if we chase a goal that we think we should be going after, it might not be meeting our needs. Salary and job title are important, but so is doing work that aligns with your values, having a commute that fits with your lifestyle, and working with people who you get along with. 

“If you know what a great day at work looks like for you, you can go after your own version of success.
I believe that career fulfilment comes from the day-to-day work meeting your needs. Milestone moments are important, but so is finishing every day feeling like you have done a good job.” 

What difference does it make to an individual if their professional goals are aligned with their personal definitions of success? 

When your professional goals reflect what truly matters to you, work becomes more than just a means to an end — it becomes a source of energy, pride and fulfilment. Business owners often invest long hours and emotional energy into their ventures, so it’s vital that the outcomes they’re working toward feel personally meaningful.  

When your goals are aligned with your values, you’re more likely to stay motivated, make better decisions, and feel satisfied with your progress — even when challenges arise. On the other hand, chasing goals that don’t resonate with your personal definition of success can lead to burnout, frustration, and a sense of emptiness, even if those goals are achieved.  

Laura continues: “We spend a lot of time and effort at work, and if what you are striving for doesn’t align with your personal definition of success you will be working towards something that ultimately won’t feel rewarding. A goal that is driven by what you think you should achieve won’t be as satisfying as one that meets your needs. When you know what you want from your career, and you career goals reflect that, you will feel good at work.  

“If you strive for goals that aren’t meaningful for you, you might have an initial high from hitting them, but they won’t support you longer term. If you go after the goals you think you should go after, you will find yourself unfulfilled when you achieve them if they don’t align with what you want or need.” 

Why do we so often lose track of our personal values when it comes to pursuing business success? 

In the fast-paced world of business, it’s easy to get swept up in external expectations — whether that’s industry benchmarks, social media comparisons, or pressure from peers and mentors. Business owners are often driven by ambition and urgency, which can make it tempting to chase visible achievements like revenue targets or expansion milestones without pausing to ask whether those goals reflect what truly matters to them. Over time, this disconnect can lead to a sense of dissatisfaction or burnout, even when the business appears successful from the outside. 

Laura explains: “What society defines as success is often the big moments of achievement: getting a promotion, reaching a certain salary goal. Whilst these things may play a part in feeling good at work, it is having your everyday needs met which will help you to find career fulfilment.  

“It is much easier to strive for a salary goal, than it is to work out the multiple factors that will influence how good you feel at work. We also get swept up in what other people will think. It doesn’t matter what your job looks like to anyone else; if it meets your needs and leaves you feeling fulfilled, that is all that matters.” 

How do you go about defining what success means to you? 

As Joe’s post highlighted, there is no one-size-fits-all definition of success. It’s personal, and it should reflect what truly matters to you. Here are some tips to help you define success for yourself: 

• Think about what makes a great day at work for you: Reflecting on the moments that leave you feeling satisfied and energised can help you identify what truly matters in your daily working life. 

• Consider your values – what matters most in your life and career? Your values act as a compass; aligning your goals with them ensures your definition of success feels authentic and fulfilling. 

• Reflect on your lifestyle needs – commute, flexibility, work-life balance: Practical considerations like how and when you work can have a huge impact on your wellbeing and should be part of your success criteria. 

• Ask yourself what kind of people you want to work with: The relationships you build at work can influence your motivation, creativity and overall happiness — so they’re worth factoring in. 

• Identify what gives you a sense of achievement and fulfilment: Whether it’s solving problems, helping others or building something new, knowing what drives you will help shape meaningful goals. 

• Don’t be afraid to challenge societal expectations: Success doesn’t have to follow conventional paths — defining it for yourself means giving permission to pursue what genuinely works for you. 

For Capital Space customer Leo Suarez, who runs Tenza Property Development from Churchill Square Business Centre in Kings Hill, his family prompted him to realign his personal definition of success:  

“When my daughter was seven she said to me ‘You work so hard and don’t spend time with us’,” he remembers. “I made a promise to myself that from then on every day of holiday that my daughter has, I would also be off. This meant changing the way we run our business – not working seven days a week and taking 13 weeks of holiday per year. It’s giving us time to see the world together – travelling doesn’t have to be expensive.” 

Defining success on your own terms is the key to building a business – and a life – that truly fulfils you. When your goals reflect your values and priorities, you’re not just chasing outcomes — you’re creating a path that feels meaningful every step of the way. 

If you’re looking for office space from a provider that wants to support your business success, get in touch.