With all the talk about being successful, have you ever stopped and thought about what “success” really is?

Some people think of success as genius, magic or something they don’t possess.
Most would consider of athletic ability of Michael Jordan, the body of Tyra Banks, the intelligence of Albert Einstein, the business ability of Donald Trump, the money of Bill Gates, the social graces of Jackie Kennedy and the soul of Mother Theresa as success.
But, no one has all those things.

Success is not money. John Rockefeller was making a million dollars a day when there was no IRS. When asked what it would take to satisfy him he said: “Just a little bit more”. King Solomon said and it is recorded in Proverbs: “Whoever loves money never has enough money and whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with income.”
So, success is not money.

Success is not power; power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Alexander the Great conquered the world and had great power. He also died at the age of 33 from syphilis. He had power but did not have success.
Adolph Hitler was a demonized monster. He had power but was not successful.
Success is not money and success is not power.

Success is not reaching a goal.
Most people have destination disease. They believe if they can arrive at a certain place, get a record deal, become the president of their company, if they can make a certain amount of money, if they can have the right relationship with the right man or woman, or be salesman of the year they will be successful. Reaching a goal does not guarantee success or contentment
Michael Jordan reached every goal: world championship, wealth, fame-and then retired.
But you can’t retire from life.
So, success is not money, power or a destination; success is a journey.

So, if success is a journey, how do we measure it?
I choose the measurement of Booker T. Washington: “I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position one has reached in life but by the obstacle by which one has overcome while trying to succeed.” In order to be successful you will learn to do the things you hate to achieve the things you love. Athletes hate to run wind sprints until their legs feel like rubber, their lungs are burning and are gasping for air. But they love winning and hate losing so they do it anyway.

What is success? I suggest it is the progressive achievement of worthwhile goals that fulfill your purpose in life. What’s your purpose in life? Start there and see how far it takes you.

As Henry Ford once said: “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right” If your mind can conceive it, you can achieve it.

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