What Is True Success?

HOW DO YOU MEASURE SUCCESS

To test yourself, think about the following hypothetical scenarios.

Who would you say is truly successful?

Alex: Alex owns a business. He is honest, hardworking, and courteous. Alex's business has flourished, and as a result, he and his family live comfortably. 

Janet: Janet is a middle-school student who studies diligently and loves to learn. As a result, she gets good grades.

Cal: Cal owns a similar business, and he makes far more money than Alex. In an effort to beat the competition, though, Cal has become a workaholic and has numerous illnesses.

Ellen: Ellen gets even better grades than Janet and is an honor-roll student-but she cheats on tests and has little real interest in her education.

If you said that Cal and Ellen-or all four individuals-were successful, you might be measuring success by a person's character traits and worth ethic.  It makes sense to do so. Consider the following examples. 

. Which is better for Janet's long-term welfare-that she get the highest grades or that she nurture a love of learning?

. Which is better for Alex's children-that they have everything money can buy or that they have a father who shows that he values spending time with them? The bottom line:  False success is based on image; true success is based on proper values. 

Next time: What Is True Success?/HOW TO ACHIEVE TRUE SUCCESS 

From the Awake! magazine