Each pharmacy owner and community pharmacist defines success differently.  For some, success is leaving a lasting legacy for their families, patients and community. For others it means providing a nice lifestyle for their families. And, in my experience, many include making a difference in the lives of their customers and the health of their community in their definition of success. What is important here is there  is no right or wrong answer when it comes to defining success in community pharmacy.

However, we do know there are common elements that determine success no matter the specific industry or business. These are things we can learn and use to our advantage as business and pharmacy owners. As well, understanding these things can help all of us avoid common pitfalls like instant gratification, enviness of others, and a host of many others.

The first thing is success has to be earned or it doesn't mean that much. We know this because of the numerous studies on lottery winners that show they are completely miserable just one year after winning. They didn't earn it and the lack of meaning and satisfaction in their lives reflects this. I recently read a statistic that sums this up: it takes an average of 18 years for someone to become a millionaire.

The second thing we know about success is your individual or pharmacy success typically will be attributable to the success of others. Dale Carnegie said, "Successful people find out what other people want (success), and they help them achieve it." If you constantly hjelp other people succeed, you will experience greater success for yourself. 

The third thing we know about success is it is a difficult concept to grasp because most of us never take the time to think about what it means to be successful. We are so caught up in the pressures and details of daily life, we don't make time for this level of thinking. Dr. Roy Meninger said this is like the airplane pilot that radios the control tower and says "I sure am lost, but I am making great time!"

So, understanding what we know about success is only half the equation to being successful.  Using this information and creating a plan for success is the other (and more important) half.  Below are three things that you can do right now that will help you begin to be more successful in your personal life and in your pharmacy.

• Define what success means to you - this should be the cornerstone of everything you do (the litmus test for all your decisions). If you cannot see how everything you do helps you get closer to your definition of success, then we would advise you to stop doing it. You only have so much time, energy and money.
• Avoid instant gratification and being envious of others - These are two of the hardest things to accomplish in our society. Many of the messages you hear today appeal to these two emotions. Remember, achieving success is a marathon, not a sprint. Avoiding this roadblock can lead to success beyond anything you have ever dreamed.
• Associate with other successful people - when you define what success means to you, then you can begin to look for people who have been successful in those areas. If you begin to form relationships with them, then you will begin to experience more success in your life and pharmacy.

All these take effort to accomplish. The people who are frustrated with their lack of success often tell us they never had time for this level of thinking. The successful people we know all make time for this level of thinking. One tip that has helped these successful people think about these important things is to do this in the morning. If you plan on doing this in the evening, the combination of daily life and exhaustion will most likely result in very little, if any, of this type of planning being completed.

Where does this wisdom come from?

The content of this blog is inspired and verified by our experience helping independent community pharmacists enjoy financial independence during and after their life in pharmacy.