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i have two basic thoughts about success tonight.
first, i think most people have an unhealthy love affair with it.
second, i think most people have an unhealthy definition of it.
…and the two are tied together.
although we don’t like to admit it, for most people, success is tied to winning and losing and awards and pay raises and perks and getting the prize and reaching the goal.
“winning isn’t everything…it’s the only thing”…or the ever-popular “second place is just the first loser”. it’s essentially all about the performance and how it’s evaluated.
but that’s not the whole story. here are some other definitions of success to chew on:
success is all about doing the best you can…with what you have…where you are right now. there are times when we find ourselves in crummy situations with limited resources and all we can offer is the best we have at that moment. the results may be horrible and the recognition may be non-existent…but it’s still success.
success is all about trying…until you die. in my book, not giving up is success. we are so infatuated with the prize, that we fail to realize that simply hanging in there long enough is godly…and good and holy. you can probably poke holes in my earthy theology, but to me, perseverance trumps performance every time.
success is all about who you are trying to impress. ultimately, god is the judge and jury of all performance. don’t forget it. but on a practical level, why are we so concerned about what people think? i think that maybe the only people who get a vote when it comes to evaluating my performance…and pronounce me a success or a failure…are the people who are going to be standing next to my remains at my final hurrah.
all other opinions are just that. opinions.
so get out there and try. stay in the game. don’t worry about what others think. don’t let someone you don’t know squeeze you into being or doing something that god has not wired you to do.
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