Yeah, I played the lottery along with all the other bazillion people last week.

I didn’t win the lottery.

I did, however, win the POWERBALL – which means I won three dollhairs. ($3).

Sure, I spent $5 on my tickets… but I got $3 back. AND I ended up buying a large Diet Coke and a breakfast biscuit with the $3 I got back at the gas station.

Boom goes the dynamite.

I called all that a win.

How do YOU measure success?

Is it life’s little successes? is it money? Is it a promotion? It is that guy you’ve had your eye on finally asking you out? Is it getting your car to start? Is it not getting spaghetti sauce on your white shirt?

So often I see “successful” people in a perpetual state of negativity – “Debbie Downerness” – if you will. They’re some of the most successful people I know, but some of the most unhappy. Very “woe is me,” “not good enough,” or “just can’t seem to get it right.”

Yet, they can’t take a moment and a half to step back, look at their life, and realize how freaking successful they are.

It drives me nuts. Bonkers. Up the wall. < insert cliche here >

They’re products of our perfection-ridden-striven society. And, of course, this isn’t a new concept. I’m not blowing your minds right now with life-changing prose. I’m stating a fact most of you probably already know.

Well? What are we going to do about said-state-of-downerness? Are we going to continue, as citizens, companies, businesses, 501(C)3s, etc. to harp on the shoulda, coulda, wouldas, the numbers, the bank accounts, and the ROI? Or are we going to start picking ourselves up by our own bootstraps, slapping a smile across our faces, and doing the proverbial “GOT ‘ER DONE” to celebrate where we are, where we’ve been, and where we’re going?

Everyone just needs to lighten up, realize how good they have it, and start telling OTHER people how awesome they are. Yeah, even the competition. Pat them on the back. Tell them they’re doing a good job. Heck, tell them they’re doing a GREAT job.

Cause we’re breathing, right? If we’re breathing, that means we’re alive. And if we’re alive, that means success is still feasible, doable, achievable. It’s just up to us to hit a big ‘ol RESET on how we define success.

How do YOU define success?