As much as we all desire success, when do we know we are getting there? What are the yardsticks we can use to measure our direction and determine that we are not simply average anymore.

The truth is that you need to start paying attention to certain signs to be clear about where you are now, and where you should be. When success starts knocking on your door, a lot of visitors start coming in.

Here are 9 signs you’re headed towards success:

1. You start having less time

While money may have been a drawback in the past, what success takes from you is time. Time is a very essential commodity to the successful. There is less time to pursue and do so much. This is why successful people learn to delegate, prioritize and organize better to achieve their goals.

“Lost time is never found again.” – Benjamin Franklin

2. You start having more haters

Haters are good. If you are not having enough haters, it means you are not doing the right thing. Success presents the envious and the weak to you in ways you may never have imagined. People use you as a mirror to measure their strengths and flaws. And most times people who cannot own up to their identity use you as a means to channel their anger and hate.

3. You start having more offers

More options, more opportunities arise when you start walking through the doors of success. There is something attractive about the successful and people love flocking to them. You may wonder why it was such a tough grind for you at the bottom previously. But the truth is that people will only start noticing your abilities when you set yourself apart from the pack.

4. You start feeling more fulfilled

You have that feeling and sense of pride that you are worth something. You are now being talked about and people are paying attention not only to you but also to your accomplishments. You may want to be modest about it, but you cannot ignore that feeling of being satisfied and pleased with yourself.

5. You start taking notice of competition

This works vice-versa. You take notice of competition and competition takes notice of you. Perhaps they are using you as a benchmark to get better at what they do. However you are beginning to see that it is not just about you, but about others working so hard to send you back down to where you came from.

6. You have rewards

It could be awards, fame, money or rise to a higher social class. But with success comes reward. You certainly won’t be where you were when you were down the ladder. There are rewards attached to success in every field of endeavor. So yes when you start becoming successful, you are certainly going to have your own share of spoils and plunder.

7. You start understanding the dynamics of giving more and contributing more

Being successful does not mean holding back. To be successful means giving more of your time, resources and energy to the world. People who are successful are always giving more, or at least learning to. If you start noticing that you are giving more than you currently were, then you are headed towards success.

8. You start having better relationships

Your relationships define you. When you start becoming successful you start building your relationships that push you to higher grounds. Better relationships help you navigate the terrain of success better and offer you examples for you to model your life after.

“Working together as a team helps build a cohesive organization.” – Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha

9. You are more authentic

With success come originality and solidity. There is no one size fits all when it comes to success. So yes success can be personal and reflect authenticity in the way it appeals to you. To be successful means you have followed your heart and in this you find enormous satisfaction where you currently are. When you start becoming successful, your personal values and personality will be tested. And who you really are will become more visible to the world!

What are the steps that are you taking to be successful? Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below!