Success

In contemplating what success is, many believe Webster's 1973 definition to be correct. "A favorable termination of a venture; the attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence." These definitions, though correct, to me seem to be so final - "termination," the "attainment of." To me life is a process of successes and failures, all of which ultimately make us what we are and the happiness we achieve. This process many times brings with it wealth, favor or eminence - but success and happiness are not the result of these things for most people. To me success is the inner peace and contentment that accompanies the completion of, or more likely the pursuit of ones greater self. When we honestly evaluate what we believe and strive to achieve that end - is when we obtain or achieve a measure of success and fulfillment. This was brought home to me as I have worked in the financial industry for more than twenty years. The mortgage crisis of 2008 saw my net worth diminish by more than 80% with in a matter of months. This was with a company claiming to have none of the problem sub-prime lending and continued to tell its employees all is well. This came on the heels of a senior executive's decision that the current model of my job was out dated or wasn't in the best interest of the company, despite its profitability. The changes were followed by losses and a couple of years later a gradual change back to what wasn't, in his opinion good for the company. My loyalty and dedication has been rewarded by the large decline in my future retirement possibilities. This process of failure and my personal discouragement has in its own deranged way helped me find an understanding of what is important and actually increased a form of inner peace, despite the lack of the "attainment of wealth, favor or eminence." Society many times keeps score of success by who accumulates the most toys or the largest portfolio. Power and authority have become a goal or measuring stick for many in their pursuit of acceptance and success. Sports figures have found a measure of success in their professions, which can be accompanied by fame and fortune. But, this isn't a guarantee of success in their personal lives, as far too often we hear stories of bankruptcy, drug abuse and broken families. Perhaps it's true the only guarantee is that things will change. This phenomenon is as old as life it's self. Believers of the Bible need only look to the Book of Job chapter one. "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. (He had) a very great household; so this man was the greatest of all the men of the east." If society was keeping score there was no doubt he was a success. From this point he lost everything including his friends and family. During this decline he continued to be a success in his eyes and the eyes of God. Society viewed him as a fallen and wicked man, but his inner peace and faith remained strong. The question we need to ask is to what extent we would go in order to succeed and what successes do we desire. What is success to you? The answers vary, as widely as there are individuals to answer the question. The real question is are you being true to yourselves and not compromising success and happiness for what others believe or society teaches it should be? Then are we truly willing to pay the price to achieve that inner peace? I think at different time in our lives we view what will make us happy differently. At the age of twenty I had the opportunity to live for a short period of time in Santa Fe New Mexico. My job on a daily bases was to go door-to-door talking to anyone that would lisen. I know now that many people despise the distraction of some strange man invading their personal space. On one certain day we were going to the wealthiest part of town. The homes were beautiful and to live there required a large degree of financial success. Those who were home were less than enthused to see us. We were greeted with just about every negative reaction possible. Now I'm sure in a different setting most of them were great people. As we started to leave the area we came across a humbler section of town and the first door we knocked on belonged to an elderly woman who answered the door with a wonderful smile. We introduced ourselves and she asked us in, she immediately told us she wasn't interested, but offered us something to drink. She spent the next few moments asking about us and our families at home. She told us about her family whose pictures were all over her small home. I thought she must have been lonely, but she told us how most of them still lived close and came to visit her often. The contrast between the people we met that day was so extreme and if you were to evaluate what kind of life they had and their level of success most involved would favor the elderly lady of meager means. Each of these people had no interest in the reason I came to their door that day. But as I left, I felt renewed, happy and wanting to be more like the woman I had just met. I believe true success is not selfish, but wants us to pass it on, or to nurture those around us.