How Do You Measure Success?

Are you successful?  I suppose by most people's definition, I am.  I earn a six-figure income.  I'm a bestselling author.  We own a large home with several acres of land.  My husband and I travel frequently and we often take our children and grandchildren with us.  We have lots of "toys".


But am I really successful?  Material positions and financial security are great.  In fact, they can be very important.  A home, money to pay for the necessities of life, reliable transportation - these are all things every human being needs.  But does that make me a success?  Yes?


What if I have these things because I was willing to compromise my values in order to obtain them?  Would you still say I was a success?


I had dinner last night with a young couple who don't have these things.  They were part of the consequences of our last economic hiccup and are still paying the price.  But I would say they were very successful.  Because despite their struggles, they continue to love and support each other and their children.  They could have become bitter and critical.  They could have resigned themselves to the fact that they won't have those things that everyone wants.  Instead they keep looking for ways to improve their lives and the lives of their children.


Which is how we connected.  They know what I do.  The see what I have.  And they want it too.  And so we had dinner.  And talked.  I showed them all of the possibilities.  I gave them advice.  What was possible.  What was not.  And for you skeptics who think I was just trying to sucker these poor people into my business with promises of riches, guess what.  I told them it was not a good idea for them now.  It takes time to build a network marketing business to the point they need.  And time is something they are short on.  But there is more than one way to make a buck and now they know what's possible.  And they know there are people that will help them.  And now they have something they haven't had in a long time.  A vision for their future.


Success isn't just about what you accomplish.  It's not about how much money you make or how many rooms in your home or how many cars you drive.  It's about inspiring others/  It's about motivating people to go after their dreams with everything they have.  It's about helping them.  It's about adding value.  It's about making a positive impact in the world.  Ken McArthur says that we all have impact, whether we want to or not.  I agree.  It's just a matter of whether it's a positive impact or a negative one.


Yes, I consider myself successful.  Not because I have accumulated all this "stuff."  And not because I achieved many of my personal goals.  I am successful because I try to inspire, motivate, and help others every day.  When they succeed, so do I.  I suppose if I focused on my own personal gain a bit more, I might be a millionaire.  Or maybe drive a Lexus instead of a Jeep.  (Not sure about that.  I really LIKE my Jeep!).  And there are some who would say I do more good if I DID focus more on that.


What do you think?  Are you successful?  How do you measure success?  Share your thoughts in the comments.