Measuring Success

What would we become if everyone’s purpose in life was to become perfect at all costs? Can you imagine yourself as a personality with a generic identity?

Imagine, every inch of Earth covered by glittering footsteps, the traffic disappearing as the concrete disintegrates under red carpets. Cars halted and taxi drivers on standby watching, above; the circling private jets are queuing at sky traffic lights, awaiting the famous rarities who mingle in a circus as they take selfies of their future replacing clones.

Do you hear the laughter of these grimacing clowns? They are invading popular culture by attending egotistical events in lavished tents with self mirroring interiors; the Wonder-women of hair straighteners, the Supermen of shaved chests, the Hulks of forever young, all Jokers in your face. Have you seen them? Clapping at each others tricks, as if their brain cells were on sale and cheering at each others outfits still with their price tags, as if they could buy style.

The high couture hat is not as much of an accessory of aesthetic as you think. It is a high tech program, exclusively designed to count surgery procedures, it adds up the jobs done until the number qualifies these plastic heroes of modern beauty. After graduation, they are allowed to hold the function of celebrity for the gratis television channels watchers, however the funniest clowns don’t amuse for simply entertaining, they are passionate about wealth, that’s why they wear it directly on the skin, so that even undressed, they remain expensive phenomenons.

Such soulless puppets can only demonstrate how to collect rigged awards; what used to be a symbol of a special intellect, a unique idea, a smartly developed skill resulting in an honorable achievement or a complimentary ticket for a window table in a VIP restaurant, has now lost its appeal; it has become obsolete, the favors had to stop as there aren’t enough glamorous views rooms for each new birth.

That’s right, life isn’t fair, life is tough but simple; you do with what you got or you fake having what you don’t have until you get it. This type of injustice happens when anyone who knows how to be superficial gets credited for it; for a tasteless commercial trend, for a cherished metallic piece that sits next to meaningless mopping bodies.

Is the illusion of being in a position of power over others a realistic measure of one’s inner power? The modern success story is defined by the dark side of appearing superficial; the pursuit of expensive things, social standing and sadists prevail over integrity. For those destined, thus attracted to a different kind of success, the price to pay is an inflated loss of willpower and a damaged self. Nevertheless, the difficulty in bringing in the fantasy of constantly feeling happy into reality, is why this type of goal is so glorified.

At the center of self centered individuals where materialism beats the tempo through which everything is measured and valued. Unfortunately succeeding without ego-centrism is a skill only a few sages master, want and can dare to attempt, especially in the western part of the world where opportunities to own a tree without owning a land or to sleep outside without owning the town does not exist. Thus, a cold blooded materialist mindset is necessary to succeed.

That said, shouldn’t we ask ourselves: Where is the limit? How much is enough? What does enough mean? Is there such a thing as having ‘too much’ of anything? Too much passions or too much fears? And above all, are your possessions or your imagination the measure of your worth? Surely, a successful existence doesn’t consist of wanting to reach an egotistical extreme or to show off an eternal photo-shopped robot who take up large spaces inside zero sizes magazines.

There has to be higher aims in life than striving to become a five minutes of fame wannabe left for dead on a poster, next to an outdated design and the intoxicated screams of world events shattering newspapers headlines. Furthermore, measuring success isn’t only tied up to ownership of perishing possessions but also to your core self, how strong, grounded and wise is it? How to measure success in ways that don’t involve others opinions on what your outer shell shows?

Contentment:

There is a sense of joy and fulfillment to be found inside yourself and that’s what makes life worth living. This comes from being content with life and it is independent of your social status. It involves a sense of satisfaction that goes beyond the quantifiable. The ability to look at your life and be genuinely appeased brings true happiness and well-being. This type of success can be achieved by an anarchist living off-grid in woods, who does not need to conform to rigid rules to be happy.

Making a positive impact on others:

We all delight in making a difference. This is especially true if it touches and transforms other’s lives, or impacts society in a productive way. This takes a kind heart, a strong spirit, and an unwavering belief in humanity to accomplish. People are not remembered for what they paid for us, but for the long lasting effect of their love. This may be through their sacrifices or charity work. The ability to make a positive contribution to the life of others is a true achievement worth recognition and one to be proud of.

Ability to bounce back:

Successful people have mastered the art of bouncing back, they don’t give in against failure and instead, use it as fuel to drive them towards their end goal. In fact, many who are considered successful, have succeeded only after numerous attempts. To overcome fear, pain and rejection, failure is a harsh but rewarding teacher. Being a resilient person, especially when faced with failure, is an admirable quality that the great possess.

Independence:

Independence is liberation from the dictates of society but many people feel shackled to a fixed duty, relationship or lifestyle, thus lacking the space to determine their own destiny. Without true independence, it’s a struggle to stand up for what you believe in and strive for what you want. However, despite not having much support, some people are able to plan their own life and live it as they see fit with the help from a couple of allies.

Self respect:

Measuring success according to the expectation of others and trying to conform to their imposed and often closed minded standards means you fail to be true to yourself. And, longing for external sources of admiration based on superfluous exteriors, without any underlying kind of spiritual substances is just emptiness, not success. A sentiment that leaves you feeling like a loser under your accessories as the loss of these haunt you because without them, there would only be the real you. Self respect is having the courage to not let outsiders decide who you should be. To be successful is to respect yourself instead of expecting others acceptance to fill your void.

Fulfilling your dreams:

Your goals can be motivated by finding sense in the meaning of live rather than trying to avoid thinking about it. Although happiness can be put on hold while spending miserable days in the pursuit of the next dissatisfying pleasure, aiming towards spiritual bliss, finding and feeling it, is something that can’t be touch by fingertips. Dreams and passions are not to be suppressed, they are visions that can be achieved in this lifetime. The belief in your capability to go after your dreams courageously, is the attitude of a successful person.

Time for relationships:

Modern living places a heavy toll on relationships. The ability to spend time and share moments with loved ones is important in order to maintain healthy relationships that will be useful for your success to happen faster. Things and feelings always expire but strong relationships are recyclable and can last a lifetime.

Be a risk taker:

Being successful in life entails taking challenges and adventurous risks beyond self-imposed limits. Each time you overcome what blocked your path with focused persistence, faith in your inner compass increases and determination strengthens. To find enjoyment in new discoveries provides a genuine feeling of satisfaction.

Ability to adapt:

Life consists of many unexpected changes, our response to it defines the consequences and results that will follow. This fact places tremendous pressure on choosing the right lifestyle and environment conducive to making right decisions, especially if past mistakes call for a change and moving out of your comfort zone seems frightening to you. Being capable of adapting to every situation is a quality the most successful possess.

Since nothing ever stays the same, reshaping your trajectory without feeling like a failure will be necessary along the way. Because of disorganization, some adventurers are unable to cope under the ugly reality eating the glitter of their dreams, they make quick progress, only to end up addicted at being depressed when the changes that progress implies strike. So at all times, make the best out of all life situations by successfully rising back from death, like a phoenix rises from the ashes, time and time again, indefinitely.

Cling to your convictions:

Stick to your moral principles and goals, they shouldn’t be compromised easily as it’s your values and rules that determine your worth. Cheaply selling yourself out for superficiality against a friendship, commitment or your health isn’t a successful character trait. Proudly displays bravery, why be afraid to stand for what you believe in?

Conclusion: As one universal force, split in many individual souls, each living being is a part of another. Each human prosperity should benefits another. According to universal law, there is no limit on what you can receive as long as your conscience knows that you give back as much as you take. Because while we measure our successes in terms of personal comfort, passion and security, the one universal mind measures your success in terms of how much you have learned in this lifetime.