The Truth About Real Success

In this post I'm going to talk about success. Success means different things to different people. One of the definitions for success in Dictionary.com is: The attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like. This definition is okay in as far as it goes, but we all know that being successful is not just related to the attainment of wealth, position, honors, who we know or where we go.

Wealth, honors, position, and material possessions are neither bad nor good. They are simply means to an end. They were created in order to assist us in attaining our goals and the desires of our heart. They should not be the goal themselves. Some individuals believe that acquiring lots of money and material possessions will make their lives successful, more meaningful, and productive. This is not so!

Have you ever heard of individuals who have an abundance of money, homes, cars, titles, etc., and are still not happy? We all have. The reason is that their possessions did not provide them with the lifestyle and good feelings they had envisioned for themselves. You cannot fill an internal emptiness with material possessions and false beliefs!

Now that we know success isn’t necessarily connected to material possessions, allow me to share my definition of REAL success with you. I define real success as: Gaining and attaining the desires of your heart. Each one of us has a function and purpose in life that only we can fulfill.
No one else has the exact same mixture of heartfelt desires, motivation, experience, psychological makeup, talent, or the like.

Real success is long lasting and fills you with peace, regardless of your circumstances or situation. The immaterial attributes described above can be likened to a “spiritual DNA.” This DNA predisposes us with heartfelt desires that lead us in the direction of our highest and best good.

Our life simply works better when we live in a manner that keeps us connected to this DNA. The reason is that we’ll be predisposed to enjoy our journey as we move toward our destiny. Life is a journey. Let’s enjoy it! Wealth, material possessions, or fame will “auto-magically” appear when necessary as we focus on our goals and purpose.
Yes, some goals may be difficult to attain.

However, our spiritual DNA equips us to confidently and creatively move toward these goals because they are aligned with our life’s purpose. We will feel a sense of gratitude even during our seemingly darkest hours. I know this concept may be difficult to grasp, so let me see if I can provide an example.

During his lifetime, the late Steve Jobs—cofounder, chairman, and CEO of Apple Inc.—gained great wealth and material possessions. However, this was not so in the beginnings of his career as he was guided by his goal of helping individuals become more productive. As a matter of fact, his great success had a very meager beginning. I believe it was his spiritual DNA that predisposed him to endure the tough times to come.

Jobs and Steve Wozniak started Apple Computer Company with thirteen hundred dollars accumulated by selling Jobs’ microbus automobile and Wozniak’s calculator. As a matter of fact, they used that money to sell circuit boards prior to creating the first Apple Computer. This process took years, and there were many setbacks along the way.
As Apple Computer succeeded, Jobs’ vision grew and his goals became larger.

He had many failures and setbacks while attaining his goals. These goals led him to create highly technical devices—Macintosh PCs, iPods, iPads, iPhones, etc.—that continued to fuel his vision of helping individuals become more productive. Increased fame, money, and notoriety were drawn to him as his vision grew. However, they were the means to his goal and not the goal themselves.

A number of important lessons can be learned from Steve Jobs’ career, the first being that you don’t have to wait until you have the perfect business plan and the necessary finances. Start from where you are with focus, a simple plan and a burning passion that cannot be put out when things don’t go your way.

Next, recognize that the setbacks you encounter provide you with experience and wisdom to pass on to others. You don’t have to like the setbacks, but I urge you to expect and be thankful for their helping you become more resilient.

Thank you for viewing and until next time here's hoping that you live today and every day passionately and with purpose. Thank you and God bless!