What does success mean to you?

How do you measure success? First, perhaps a definition of success would be appropriate. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, success ‘includes not only the achievement of wealth, respect or fame but also the desired result of an attempt.’ In today’s popular culture of fame and fortune, the focus tends to be on achieving wealth and fame.

It is interesting, though, to note that some of the world’s most “successful” entrepreneurs do not include those aspects when asked about their ideas on success:

Richard Branson, British entrepreneur, believes it’s all about being an active part of something big and exciting. “The more you’re actively and practically engaged, the more successful you will feel.”

Sara Blakely, Spanx founder, believes that success is all about trying new things. “If you don’t try, then you fail. If you try, you succeed.”

Steve Jobs, of Apple fame, once said that the key to success for entrepreneurs is “perseverance.” “I’m convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful entrepreneurs is perseverance,” he once said.

Tori Burch, Tori Burch fashions, believes it’s all about perseverance, too. She reminds people that “there are many, many steps on the road to success.”

Elon Musk, founder of PayPal, , explains that success is “to be involved in things that change the world.”