What is Success?
Success is fickle, unfair, and most of
all is fleeting. Success cannot be bought or sold, yet it can be squandered or
thrown away. It cannot be given, but it
cannot always be earned either. Success cannot be measured exactly, but it can
be scrutinized by each and everyone.
Sometimes success is instantaneous; other times it is a long
journey. Some people do not know they
have it when they’ve got it; other people know exactly what it is but never
attain it. Success is like an exclusive butterfly to some and a heavy yoke of
burden to others. For some people,
success is as simple as meeting the rent or having food to feed their
children. For others, it is the fifth
Lear jet for their personal fleet.
Success is simply having a choice when before you had none. It is the first time you do not allow fate to
wash you along its waves of life at its discretion.
Success is not making a living off the
backs of others. Success is being able
to hold your head up and look a person squarely in the eye, knowing you have
nothing to be ashamed of. Success is
knowing you have earned every penny of a
paycheck with diligent hard work.
Success is being strong enough to say “NO” to an immoral business
practice and smile when you lose your job because of it.
Success can be a rude awakening when
you find yourself where you thought success would be and say, “Is this
it?” It is the empty echo bouncing back
on you as you realize that the struggle to succeed was more enjoyable than the
climax. Success is when you do not buy the best anymore or the “IN”
things. It is when less is more because
it is truly what you like. Success is
knowing there is more to life than money, material things, and position. Success is an anonymous donation to a
worthwhile charity.
Success is the time in your life when
you stop and take a deep breath of fresh air and discover how deliciously sweet
it is; a time when you look around and suddenly see for the first time the
incredible beauty that has always been there, but you were too busy to notice
before. Success is the time in your life when your troubles are shamefully
trivial compared to those of the rest of the world. It is a time when you pause to give
encouragement because you see some of your former self in another person; when
you reach out and squeeze a person’s hand, knowing they are going through the
death of a loved one or through a separation or divorce and honestly say, “I
don’t know how to help you, but tell me and I will try.” Success is when things that cost little, like
sharing, caring and friendship, are suddenly very important to you. Success is
remembering with a smile when two steamed hot dogs and a shared beer was a big
night out.
I penned this in 1987.
No comments:
Post a Comment