The only place where success comes before work is a dictionary. - Eric Barker

Success is not the result of an single quality; it's about alignment between who you are and where you choose to be.

And as a paper in American Psychologist showed, “Once a small win has been accomplished, forces are set in motion that favor another small win.

You need a personal definition of success. Looking around you to see if you’re succeeding is no longer a realistic option. Trying to be a relative success compared to others is dangerous. This means your level of effort and investment is determined by theirs, which keeps you running full speed all the time to keep up.