My Definition of Success, Part 1
Everyone wants to be successful. Students, parents, entrepreneurs, politicians, religious leaders etc… We all want to successfully accomplish all tasks we undertake and we want to be fully compensated for our hard work. There is absolutely nothing wrong with desiring success as long as we do not only associate it with dollar bills and fame.
Success is neither a condition nor an achieved level of stability. Rather, I believe it is a continuous attempt to accomplish calculated objectives necessary to achieve a particular goal, realize a particular dream or satisfy a particular need. This definition of success implies a state of constant motion—a progressive movement toward an aim.
Success is always making adjustments to enable or facilitate the happening of a “thing” we want very badly. It is not the attainment of the “thing” itself, but it is in the actual process we go through in order to get it. It is in the sweat that we put out, the long hours we put in and it is in the decision we make to remain steadfast. It is in the lessons we learn as we strive to constantly reach higher levels. This is the reason we can make bold statements about our success even in the absence of tangible evidence. We become able to visualize ourselves as successful regardless of the position we may temporarily find ourselves in.
Understanding the true definition of success sheds light on the widely held misconception that successful people are greedy. Many wonderful individuals have gained notoriety simply because they are not understood. Critics do not understand why they move from one project to another, always attempt to better themselves, or continue to take calculated risks.
Too many of us fail to understand that although true success often results in material possessions, those items themselves are not success. They are merely wonderful by-products of well-executed plans or strategies. Often, the actual realization of a goal is not the driving force behind the actions of a successful individual. For this reason, a man with a hefty bank account will still wake up early in the morning to go to work and will still continue to go to school to stretch his mind.
To remain steadfast on a successful path, we must begin with a desire to succeed—a flaming, unwavering longing to gather all ammunition, use wisely all resources, and test the limits of all possibilities. To desire strongly is to want with a powerful and insatiable hunger that accepts no defeat, no compromise, and no substitution. A strong desire helps us build the potential to create success. When we have that yearning, we do not give way, we do not give up, and we do not give in to any temptation that would make us lose focus. Our desire makes us stand our ground and critics sooner or later realize they can neither stop nor deter us.
