What Does Success Look Like?
Hey family. It is indeed that time again. It's time for a little motivation and inspiration. I am always so humbled by the lessons I learned in order to bring you all a little sunshine. These messages aren't just for you but they are for me as well. I often find myself going back and rereading them because I too need encouragement. So with that being said, let's dive in.
A few weeks ago, I was part of a podcast discussion on motivation and inspiration. We briefly touched on success. A day or two after the live broadcast, I had another discussion with someone on success. What I have learned, is that success doesn't look the same to everyone. There is no gauge to measure if you have met the level of success needed in order to wear that badge. I do wonder, however, what success means to others. I will tell you what it means to me.
I was born and raised in a small South Georgia town called Fitzgerald. We are not even on the map. Growing up, I remember all the different industries that were there that made the city thrive. There were a few, that if you got hired, you were considered to have “made it”. I remember as a kid, hearing about people getting a good job, a double-wide trailer, and a vehicle. To them, that was a success. I also remember seeing people, family included, leaving the city, joining the military or going to college, making a life for themselves, and never residing in Fitzgerald again. They also deemed themselves successful. So, who actually gets to wear that badge? I believe they all do, and I'll tell you why.
Everybody's dreams and aspiration in life is not to own a big nice house, drive a nice fancy car, and have millions in the bank. There are those individuals out there that want to live comfortably, by working. They just want to be able to take care of themselves and their family without struggle. They don't have to have the latest fashions or the newest phones. None of that matters to them. There is nothing wrong with this either. I believe success is what an individual believes it to be and not what society has presented it as. I mean, let's be honest, most of us will live and die and never get to be millionaires. Some will never even see thousands in the bank. But they will be able to navigate through life and pay their bills, do a little travel, and raise their family. Do they not get the success badge? Sure they do!
Success is not defined by the stuff we have, or the amount of money we have, or even the amount of degrees behind our name. When you are content with the state you are in and love the person you are and appreciate the things that you do have, you my friend, are considered a success.
So, what's my point you ask? My point is; to stop looking at others and declaring them as having “made it” and then look at yourself as less than others because you have not. Things don't define you but a piece of mind does. Use your own personal gauge to measure success and never base it off the life of others.
