Success

How do you define success? What people do you know or know about that you would consider successful? Are you successful?

For myself, I have begun to realize that I've never really sat down and defined the meaning of success in my own life.

If I build my business into a large and profitable venture and become wealthy, is that success?

Or would the sacrifices that would have to be made to achieve that vision of success be too costly, meaning that success in business requires failure in all other aspects of life?

How many people do we look up to as the model for the success we hope to achieve? Business leaders? Politicians? Musicians? Actors? Sports stars?

How many of those so-called success stories have dark personal failures in their lives? Broken marriages, estranged children, addiction problems?

Whenever I read a biography of a famous person, it almost always includes failure. People who achieve great things in their endeavors almost always fail at first, or multiple times. Even when they achieve great success in their field, they often suffer terrible failure in other aspects of their lives. What sets them apart in their field of endeavor is typically a deep desire and the spirit to keep trying despite repeated failure.

I've had several devastating failures. When difficult times come, my first inclination is to give up. Failure gives a horrible feeling of hopelessness and deals a heavy blow to self-confidence. I don't even want to get out of bed in the morning at first, feeling sorry for myself.

Some successes provide an ecstatic feeling for awhile. Such things are fleeting, because life doesn't allow us to dwell on our successes. They are quickly forgotten as we must move on to the next endeavor.

Wealth is nice, but it doesn't mean success. At least not for me.

Success is not a destination, but an unattainable goal. When we die, if others say we made a difference, then maybe we achieved some success. The rest doesn't mean a thing.