I am sick to death of reading articles telling me to get up early, make more money, be more productive and then meditate in order to stay on top of my mental health in order to be successful.

How about sleeping as much as suits your body? How about making enough money to live a good life full of things and experiences that are meaningful to you? How about feeling good about what you have managed to achieve, rather than setting impossibly high standards for yourself?

How about making sure you’re mentally and physically healthy before you do anything?

When I consider people who are oft-named as being successful (President Obama, Warren Buffet, Oprah), I think their lives sound stressful and hard. They are driven by something very different to me. They are SUVs or Porsches and I am some kind of all-terrain mountain bike with squeaky brakes.

I am a big believer in empirical knowledge. What feels good to you? What is right for your life?

These articles assume that we all have the same access to opportunities, the same abilities, the same motivations.

This is the very definition of madness. For someone who has recently suffered a stroke, success might be taking a few steps in a hydrotherapy pool. For a new mother, it might be getting the baby to latch on properly during breastfeeding. For someone suffering from mental illness, it might simply be getting out of bed.

Following the advice in these articles is like taking a prescription that may not be right for you. Sure, this idea of success is peddled very hard in the western world but I would rather focus on the kind of success that involves sleeping soundly, feeling well, and having joyful experiences with people you love and respect.

Everyone is always telling you to define what success means to you. I would starting with a journey into your mind and body; what feels right? What makes you feel calm? What uplifts, energises and excites you?

Do more of that.