How to redefine your metric measures of success

 Lately, I’ve been diving back into Arianna Huffington’s powerful book, Thrive, and it has reignited some deep thoughts around metric measures of success. You know the ones—we all know them. The numbers we chase, the power we pursue, the financial goals that dominate our to-do lists. As I reflect, I can't help but question: are these the metric measures that should really define our lives? Our impact? Our happiness?

In Thrive, Arianna makes a compelling case that society has, over time, reduced success down to just two metric measures—money and power. Often, those two are seen as interchangeable. If you have wealth, then you must have power, right? It’s the lens through which so many people evaluate their accomplishments and compare their lives to others.

But if this is truly what success looks like—why are so many wealthy, powerful people deeply unhappy, burned out, or disconnected?

The Two-Legged Stool: Why Traditional Metric Fall Short

Arianna paints a vivid image in her book, describing the conventional metric measures of success—money and power—as being like a stool with only two legs. You can balance on it for a while, maybe even impress a few people while doing it, but eventually, you’re going to fall. It's not sustainable, and it certainly isn’t fulfilling.

We all know someone who’s made it "big" financially, only to later discover their relationships are fractured, their health is failing, or they feel an emptiness that no amount of success on paper can solve. That’s the danger of relying on outdated, incomplete metric measures to evaluate our lives.

So what’s the alternative? Arianna offers a much-needed Third Metric, a new way to assess what really matters.

Introducing the Third Metric: A Holistic Approach to Success

According to Thrive, the Third Metric redefines success beyond just money and power. Instead, it is made up of four essential pillars:

• Well-being

• Wisdom

• Wonder

• Giving

These pillars go far beyond the numbers in your bank account or the title on your business card. They ask deeper questions: Are you sleeping enough? Are you making time to connect with those you love? Do you stop to admire the beauty around you? Are you giving back to others and your community?

Whether you’re running a global corporation or leading a small but mighty team, these expanded metric measures of success are producing real results—both in terms of individual well-being and company performance. And let's be honest, if Arianna Huffington—who built and ran HuffPost—can vouch for these principles, that's a pretty strong endorsement.

Case Studies in Well-Being and Performance

I’ve started seeing more and more case studies that showcase how employee well-being directly impacts team performance, productivity, and even profitability. In other words, when companies start to include well-being and happiness as part of their metric measures of success, they thrive. It’s not just good for the soul; it’s good for business.

But here’s the catch—this kind of shift must come from the top.

What Are Your Metric Measures of Success?

This brings me to you, my fellow #ladyboss. What are the metric measures you use to define success in your life? Really think about it.

As someone juggling two businesses and raising a beautiful family, I’ve had more than my fair share of moments feeling torn in multiple directions. For years, I pushed hard to grow iland co, my beloved fashion brand. I obsessed over sales targets. I focused on driving down costs, scaling profit, chasing every new lead that came my way.

And yes, the numbers improved. On the surface, I was “succeeding.”

But inside, I felt completely depleted.

Despite the growth, I was becoming more distant from the very reason I started the business—to have the freedom to be with my children. The harder I worked to grow the business, the more it seemed to pull me away from my family. That deep disconnect led me to realize: I was using the wrong metric measures. I was chasing a version of success that didn’t align with my purpose.

A Personal Pivot Toward Purpose

Luckily, Thrive was already on my bookshelf, and I turned to it for guidance. Every time I feel off-balance or overwhelmed, it’s the book I revisit to help me reset.

It reminded me of what truly matters—not just for me, but for all of us trying to build a life with meaning.

What’s the point of making more money if it costs you your health, your peace, or your connection with your children? That’s not success. That’s survival disguised as ambition.

Instead of focusing solely on profit margins and growth hacks, I began asking myself different questions—questions rooted in Arianna’s Third Metric:

• Am I nourishing my well-being?

• Am I taking time to rest, recharge, and truly live?

• Am I staying connected to my inner wisdom and intuition?

• Do I leave space for awe and wonder?

• Am I giving—really giving—to others in meaningful ways?

These questions have become my new metric measures, and they’ve led me to a more balanced, fulfilling version of success.

Giving as a Daily Practice

One of the most powerful concepts in Thrive is the idea of becoming a giver—not in grand, dramatic gestures, but in small, daily ways. Giving can be as simple as a kind word, a moment of undivided attention, or a smile offered to a stranger. These acts have ripple effects that extend far beyond what we can see.

There’s a beautiful quote Arianna shares from John Burroughs that sums it up perfectly:

“The great opportunity is where you are. Do not despise your own place an hour. Every place is under the stars, every place is the centre of the world.”

It’s a reminder that impact doesn’t always require a massive stage. Sometimes, the biggest shift happens right where you are, in your own community, in your own home, within your own heart.

Final Thoughts and a Question for You

As women, entrepreneurs, leaders, and creators, we have the power to redefine success for ourselves—and for the next generation. We get to choose which metric measures we live by.

So I’ll leave you with this: What does success really look like for you?

Not the version society has sold us. Not the version that's all about hustling harder, chasing numbers, or checking boxes. But the version that feels aligned with your soul. The version that lights you up.

If you have a favourite quote, book, or a story about redefining your own success, I’d love to hear it. You can reach me anytime.

Let’s keep this conversation going and together, let’s build a more meaningful way to thrive.