I was recently contacted regarding my post about courage. In the comment, I was asked the question, “What is success?” First I think it wise to identify the most popular definition of success and then go from there. With that said, success can be defined as follows:
- The favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors; the accomplishment of one’s goals.
- The attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like.
- A performance or achievement that is marked by success, as by the attainment of honors.
- A person or thing that has had success, as measured by attainment of goals, wealth, etc.
As you can see, these definitions carry with them measurements of something (money, power, position). As for me, I want to pose a few questions regarding an alternative theme of true success.
- Does your YES mean YES and your NO mean NO? If so, you are successful.
- Do you exhibit honor in your business dealings to the point where you do not cheat people for monetary gain? If you do, you are successful.
- Do you respect your body and treat it in a way that honors it as God’s temple? If you do, you are successful.
- Does your life exhibit positive influence that encourages others to become better people and citizens? If it does, you are successful.
- Does your life exhibit consistency and predictability where people can actually count on you? If it does, you are successful.
- Do people view you as a solid friend who can be counted on in the midst of a storm? If it does, you are successful.
- Are you viewed as a person who upholds high standards and moral code? If you do, you are successful.
- Do you readily own your failures and take responsibility? If you do, you are successful.
- Are you not ashamed to say, “I am sorry”? If that is the case, you are successful.
- Are you are known as a person who speaks and stands up for the truth? If you are, you are successful.
Success, as you can see, is NOT really about money, power, or position. Success is really about honor, integrity, predictability, and ethical code. Success, under this revised theme, is synonymous with wellness. Do you have the ingredients to build this foundation?
In our book, The Quest for Wellness, we teach you how. We want with all of our hearts for each of you, our friends, to be well in all areas of your lives.
Are you successful? That, my friend, is the question for the day. These questions also, hopefully, provoke a deep down desire to be SUCCESSFUL in life. In reality, success boils down to a standard. It may be a difficult and high standard, but I personally believe it is a standard worthy of utmost effort. Will you join Dr. Michele and I in the pursuit of success?
