Success Defines Us

Socrates believed in the inner excellence of the person created success. Everyone has their definition of what it means to become successful. Here’s a guide to help you realize your own definition.





If you were to ask everyone you've met for his or her definition of success, no two answers will be exactly alike - nor should they be. My personal definition is: Success is the daily realization of predetermined worthwhile goals, worthwhile both to me and to others.



Socrates was convinced that we give the most attention towards the least important things and the smallest amount attention towards the most important things. He believed that "wealth doesn’t achieve excellence, but excellence brings about wealth and all private and non-private blessings for men." It was the state of the soul that was of the highest importance to Socrates: the inner life of each person, greatness of spirit, wisdom, inner excellence.



When we give precedence to the inner, both inner and outer fall into place. When we follow the alternative course, emptiness will result. Success as I define it begins with something in the inner life of thought, feeling, imagination, and judgment. Success as I define it resonates deeply with our innermost needs and values, which then naturally manifests in the outer world. Only then can we attain the harmony and balance necessary for true happiness and true success.



The quest for success should be an exciting and fulfilling adventure, where the thrill is in the journey. I’ve said it before: one should not approach the road to success as one we travel today to reach success tomorrow. Aspirations to succeed and excel must drive us every day. Or, most days, anyway!



What do you want?

We need a focused conception of what we want, a vivid vision, a goal or set of goals powerfully imagined. What do you want to be? What do you want to do? Are you becoming it now? Do you think you're beginning to do this already, if only in a small way? If not, why not? What are you watching for? If you’re moving in a general direction you feel better about, are you making the sort of progress you think is appropriate?



Believe in yourself!

We must believe that we can attain our goals. Once we set ourselves high goals, we always face a challenge. The knowledgeable Harvard psychologist and philosopher William James said that we must learn to banish unhelpful doubts and foster beneficial self-confidence. Whenever we set new goals we believe in, higher goals we aspire to, and whenever we face new opportunities for growth and development, it’s easy for doubt to rush in and catch up with us.



Focus!

Dreamers can live within the confines of condition and frequently are unable to accomplish anything in the real world. Their imaginations are in gear, their visions are vivid, but they’re unable to make the leap from their dreams toward their goals. We need to focus on making things happen; what it takes to get from A to Z, if you will.



Commit!

We want an emotional commitment to the importance of what we’re doing, and to the people with whom we're doing it. It is a commitment expressed not in a single action, nor even in a number of actions over a period of time but in an entire way of life. It means committing one’s self to being a "successful" person. In the immortal words of Vince Lombardi, "The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor."



Finally, remember that how we define success defines us. How do you define success? How does society define you?





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