How Do We Measure Success?

bydanomah

378 followers

8 years ago

This question pops up in my mind from time to time. I read articles of success all over the internet, in my workplace, on social media. And this has led me to think 'how can I obtain this success that I hear so much about?'

But what exactly is it - this thing we all strive for?

Money? ... Having money is great. But what if I'm too busy or too ill to enjoy it? I have heard and seen many people lose friends and fall out with relatives over this very thing - money. Only yesterday, I read of a man who won the local lottery 3 years ago here in Ireland. He stated that he wished he'd never purchased that lottery ticket all those years ago. The stress, the worry, the letters from investors. The need for security walls, devices, cameras to be set up all over his home. As I said, money is great but it's not everything.

So what about material possessions? It's lovely to have nice things - an expensive home, a fast car, lots of gadgets to play with. But an expensive home needs to be maintained, a fast car taxed, insured, kept running, stored in the expensive garage with top of the line security. Gadgets and toys. They'll be fun. For a time until one gets bored with them and needs the latest 'new fancy gadget you can't live without.' Material possessions... Sure they are nice to have. But when you hear someone say 'oh I love my new iPhone' ask them 'does it love you back?'

Health? ... It's better to be healthy above everything else in my opinion. A number of years ago I started running, just as a hobby. This hobby turned into an obsession. Through Twitter I met someone who I now consider to be one of my closest friends. We run together most weeks for about 20k+ and spend the time making jokes, laughing, just enjoying each other's company. At the end of a marathon we contact each other and say 'well done, what was your time?, how do you feel?, tell me about it.' After my first marathon, which was the hardest thing I've ever done {and the slowest time ever) I told him that I smelled really REALLY Bad. His reply: "That's the smell of success Dan!"

BING!

It was like a light went on in my head. This marathon was not particularly fast. I was passed by people thrice my age for crying out loud. But that didn't matter in the end. The pursuit of success is not the process of gaining money and things. It's the journey, the experience, the very knowing that you are doing something that makes you happy. That in my mind is what success is. Have a goal and focus on it. But make sure you enjoy the journey along the way. Goal focused and process driven. That's how I roll! ... or maybe that should be run!

The esteemed radio host and motivational speaker Earl Nightingale once said - 'if you study your chosen field for one hour a day, you will become a national expert in that field within five years or less.' BING! Another light goes on! I find my passion, which luckily for me is kind of, slightly, in a roundabout way related to what I do for a living, and I immerse myself in it. Google Earl Nightingale. Seriously. You won't regret it - an amazing man.

Through this learning of my passion (which is technology, code and programming), supported by the endorphin highs I get from running, I can understand the makeup of websites and work with them successfully. BING yet again. And now, with the help of the great community at WA I can start on the next journey. Helping people with coding and technology, earning some extra supplemental income, while being the person I can be for my family and myself.

Have I made any money yet? Not A Sausage. But I can darn well say that I'm enjoying the journey.