Success

I believe there are two types of people in life.  

Those who read goal attainment books and feel inspired, and me.

The former read the anecdotes about all those underdogs who beat the odds and managed to achieve wealth and prestige beyond their wildest dreams.  They’ll feel enlightened, invigorated, and revved up to make a change.  Then there’s me.

I may initially pick up such a book with genuine interest, my desire to whip my life into shape will invariably do an about-face leaving me anything but inspired. If I say anything to myself as I read, it’s more likely to be a string of ego-deflating curses.  

I would make to do lists but could never find the sense in prioritizing them by urgency or by importance, but I was told that’s the only way to a meaningful life. 

Except that to-do lists are actually now passé. 

The more I have delved into all of this mumbo jumbo the more I have becom aware of an undercurrent of shame inside me, simmering away.  I sort of felt that something was wrong with me because I didn't have this drive inside me.  

I didn't seem to have any faith in the universal laws that turned out Oprahs and J.K. Rowlings so I sort of believe that possibly I am not built that way. 

I started to look at success in a different way, it doesn't have to mean flash cars, penthouses and money.  I believe there is a quieter, softer form of success.

If you have one person in your life you genuinely care about and who genuinely cares about you, you’re successful.

If you have one more positive thought today than you had yesterday, you’re successful.

If you have just one thing to be proud of, or be grateful for, or to celebrate, even if it’s just the fact that you didn’t rip anyone’s head off even though you had a miserable day, you’re successful.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m all for setting and achieving goals. I’m also all for striving to become the next one-in-a-million success story, if that’s what floats your boat. But, like me, if it isn’t what floats your boat, that’s no indicator of your personal worth, or lack thereof.

It’s a sad sign of the times that success is measured in appearing on endless reality programmes.  It’s as if the benchmarks of ordinary, mundane success have now been rendered obsolete, or worse: something to feel ashamed of.

So, if like me, you are an unsuccessful type, the type that reads about the Oprahs of our world with little more by way of reaction than a that's nice, remember that great potential for success lies in your own mind. 

Success is what you make of it, even if that means simple, boring, ordinary ole everyday life