Defining Success

Try not to become a man of success but rather try to become a man of value.
- Albert Einstein

A conversation this morning led me to wonder how people define success.

Apparently in today's society, it is all about the money. If you have it, you're successful, if you don't, you're not.

Ostensibly that also includes the things that people can see to indicate success. If you have millions of dollars but drive an old clunker and live in a little house, most people will not consider you a success. Or so it seems.

In the Roanoke Times today, there is a story about a man who lived unpretentiously but left $50 million. No one knew him when he lived, but now that his finances are known, he is a success. (I can't find the story online but it was in the Virginia section.)

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.
If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer

All of my life, I have judged success not on material things but on happiness. If someone is happy, I think she is successful.

Most artists are successful people, but they aren't necessarily wealthy. Art is not valued in this country so it is a hard field in which to earn money.

But the value of creating - to do it is to be successful, whether you sell it or not. To create is to succeed, don't you think?

How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these. - George Washington
Carver

You can be successful in many ways. I experienced a time in my life that left me beaten and downtrodden. I did not stay down. I consider that a success, even though my hard work to feel better gave me no material possessions.

It did bring me peace of mind. Isn't that success?

I long to accomplish a great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the
aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker. - Helen Keller

I have always worked. I began working when I was 15 and haven't stopped. I have not always worked full time but I have always had income of my own. I have never depended entirely on my husband for anything.Even when I was very ill and had six surgeries in as many years, I worked.

I also put myself through Hollins University. It took me eight years but I am the only one in my family with a B.A.
Is that not a success?

Those who try to do something and fail are infinitely better than those
who try nothing and succeed. - Lloyd Jones

The person I was speaking with today called someone "white trash" - and they didn't mean it in a way that indicated success. It reminded me of a conversation I have several years ago with my brother.

He called me "white trash."

When I asked him why he would lay such a title upon me, he said it was because I lived in a small house and could not have children.

My house is 1,560 square feet. My husband and I built it with our own two hands. We paid about a third for this place than it otherwise would have cost. We hauled the wood and nailed the nails. We (and I really mean my husband, he did most of it) put in the plumbing, the wiring ... everything.

It is our house through sweat and through dollars.

It is dwarfed by my brother's large 3,500 square feet house (which my father actually paid for). Compared to the monster homes in Ashley Plantation, I do indeed live in a little bungalow.

But it's a clean bungalow, filled with nice furniture. It's spacious enough for the two of us.

And as for the children, yes, my inability to conceive is a failure. My ability - and my husband's ability - to move forward in spite of this terrible blow, when we both wanted a baby so very desperately, is a success.

The secret of joy in work is contained in one word - excellence. To know how to do something well is to enjoy it. - Pearl S. Buck

My work does not earn me very much money. Writing is difficult and let's face it, it just isn't the greatest paying job.

But I do it well. I have a wall lined with awards. My name is known to about 30,000 people.

I serve as chairman of a government board, thanks to an appointment by a supervisor; I water-witched the well for the local circuit court judge. I hob-nob with county officials, know several sheriffs on a first-name basis; if you want to play Kevin Bacon, I'm just three degrees from some very high-ranking people.

But I don't drive a Lexus or live in a mansion. I don't have money to burn and frugality is part of my daily practice. And for those reasons, I suppose, I am not a success.

But only if you use the world's definition.

By my own, I'm not doing a bad job.