“What is Success?”
People form opinions based of the events that affect their life. Good events and bad, even events that they may perceive as not even affecting them. Every person in the world will probably answer this question differently. Some will only formulate other questions. Do you mean success in business, success in life, successful family, accomplishments, or even a successful day? That’s the important part. Every person will interpret the answer based on the opinion they have, at the time in their life, when the question is asked. The response to “Are you successful?” will change throughout a person’s life and circumstances.
“Why should you care?”
At the core of every person’s soul is the desire to be accepted. Within your circle of friends, within your profession, within your family or within your church; everyone has a need to feel like they belong. Even if the only thing you need is the love of God in your life. You still need the peace of mind you get by knowing you are a part of something. Only you can define what personally matters to you in your life. Sure, there are people around you that can help you define your place in society, but only you can decide the things that are truly important to you and how you intend on keeping those things in front of you so you don’t get off track. Your definition of success will drive every decision you make.
“What am I talking about?”
Is your definition of success wrapped up in your accomplishments? Are you driven by what other people think about you? Is your success directly tied to others opinions of you and what you may have done? Does what you do with your life or how you spend your day have an impact on your self-image? There are many people that may tie their success to monetary gain. Others may want no dollar reward as long as they are helping people. Your personal definition of what it means to be successful is not a one sentence, or one thought, answer. It shapes your worldview and will ultimately shape you life and who you are.
“What’s my personal definition?”
Like I just said, it cannot be summed up in a few sentences but if I have to try, I would say that I am successful if I am satisfied with the path I am on and I have not become complacent with just maintaining the status quo. That does not mean that I am never satisfied with where I am at or with what I am doing. It just means that people grow all of their life. Even the eighty-year-old man who has been retired and has no family to speak of can be a beacon of light for the people around him. He is full of knowledge and experience that he can share with another generation. I want to continue to grow as a person, as a father, and as a man. When I stop being concerned with who I am and start focusing on what I missed then I will no longer consider myself successful.
