Everyone
wants to be successful. But what does
that mean?
Does it mean that you have to
have the Billion-dollar Mansion with the 7-car garage filled with Maseratis,
Ferraris and Lamborginis?
Maybe you’re not in the mood for Italian, so you go for the Porsche, the Rolls or the Aston-Martin.
Maybe you’re not in the mood for Italian, so you go for the Porsche, the Rolls or the Aston-Martin.
What? You don’t
care about luxury cars and big houses? Does
this mean you’re not successful?
What is success?
For many,
many years, the image above was on my wall.
This is what I was striving for.
This was my goal. Boy was I
mistaken.
Today, I
have a modest little home. But let me
tell you, I couldn't be happier if I was in a multi-million dollar home. It’s the happiest place I know. I have never felt happier anywhere, I have
never had more moments of pure delight than I do in this place.
Cars? Well, we are blessed to be a 2-car
household. My Spouse is a “car guy”, and
having a brand new car made him happy.
Me, I’m happy with my much older, reliable, 4-door sedan.
So, I don’t
have a mansion, or a Delorean (which was my dream when I first purchased the
poster above. Perhaps too much Back To
the Future...)
Does this
mean I have not yet achieved success?
According to
Merriam-Webster:
Definition
of SUCCESS: suc·cess noun \sək-ˈses\
1 obsolete : outcome, result
2 a : degree
or measure of succeeding (To attain a desired end)
b : favorable or desired outcome; also : the
attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence
So, I take
this to mean that success is a desired outcome, which relates back to wealth,
favor or popularity. Right?
For me,
being successful means something completely different. I’ll share that in the next entry.
What does
success mean to you? Share your thoughts
in the comments.
I look
forward to reading your thoughts!
Like you, my perception of success 20 years ago bears no resemblance to my understanding of success today. The sense of what is valued changes, the concept of happiness changes, with time, with experience and of course, with age. I have a home, a wonderful marriage and my children have grown into 3 terrific men. This is my idea of success and happiness but in no way is it reflective or better than someone else's conception of a successful life. We all find our place, we all define our goals based on our frames of reference. If an old friend who took a different road than did I, took the corporate highway and is doing well; then I applaud her choice and her drive to attain those goals. Success is relative to the individual and should never be determined by society, media or peer pressure. It is our unique gift, this life and how we live it, how we interpret it, is completely up to us.
ReplyDeleteDL, I would define you as a Successful Woman. I know you, and I know that you are truly a person who remains true to her Values. In addition to that, you are not afraid to speak your mind and stand true to what you believe in. And THAT is something to be admired and respected! Be blessed!
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