Success
This is what we all seem to want…..yet it remains elusive for many. What exactly is success anyway?
Fame, money, power over others- is this what success really is? One can argue there are certain elements of these factors in success. Did Hemingway have it right when he referred to the “bitch goddess of success.” He probably had a valid point with that one too, since in order to achieve success, whatever it may be, there are definitely some sacrifices to be made to somebody or something, goddess or not…….
Success is by nature hard to define because it often refers to some external source of validation, that says, once and for all: “you’ve made it.” If we judge ourselves solely by these external yardsticks, we are at the mercy of some very questionable powers, since who decides what those standards are??? It is certainly not you or me, since these are imposed by some culturally fluid standard. Also, what represented success twenty years ago does not necessarily represent success today.
It seems to me that it is high time to reconfigure and reflect upon what success really means for you and me- to find a formula that makes sense in these challenging times. When I think of success in a substantive way, I think of effectiveness and integrity-and not necessarily on a long term basis. Since things change these days on a moment to moment basis, I believe the definition of success should be keyed to moment to moment activity too. Also, it is hard enough to manage effectiveness and integrity on a short term basis, let alone for an extended period of time. I also think another element that should comprise this new definition of success would be “peace of mind.” I know this term has been overused and probably over-hyped too, but I still believe authentic peace of mind is one of the best barometers of success there could be today- and not the least of which because it is so hard to achieve and then sustain. Easier to make millions and billions by any means- harder and harder to maintain peace of mind in the process.
I recently saw the movie “American Dreamz-” and thought it a brilliant treatment of the drive for success at any price that sometimes occurs in this country. The movie was an ingenious spoof of American Idol crossed with a sub-plot of possible terrorism- strangely enough it really worked. It was also a very good barometer of the cultural factors that drive people to do anything to succeed- Check it out and see.
What is your definition of success?
