SUCCESS

Different people, depending on their perception, social status and literacy level at the time will give you very varying definitions and views on success. Lots of “quick ways to”, ways to becoming… books have been written on the subject (and many are very helpful too). Some people will tell you it is a state of happiness, or satisfaction, or contentment. Others will say it is having a good relationship with your spouse and children. Yet some are sure it is when your relationship with God is intact.

In most parts of the world and in many cultures, success is regarded as gathering, acquiring, or accumulating great wealth, power and/or fame. Well, that is not entirely wrong neither is it also entirely accurate. Reason? Power, wealth or fame are not evil or bad by themselves. They are actually gifts from God (Deuteronomy 28:1-13, James 1:17). They are given to meet specific needs and solve specific lives’ problems. So, there is the very possibility that you may require one or all of the three to achieve your given purpose. And again, in the pursuance of your live purpose, there is every likelihood that you will be amply rewarded with wealth, power and/or fame, either as an encouragement or a “well-done” gift especially when you record excellent results. Remember, our God seriously rewards them that diligently seek Him. In any case they cannot be withheld from you when it is due time. The problem with us humans is that in trying to be smarter than God, we often put the cart before the horse and go after them wrongly.

What then is success? Success is attaining peace and fulfillment through identifying your God given purpose in live(which most of the time is different from that of the man next door), giving it all it takes and requires and in the process producing healthy and quality long lasting fruits without compromising: 1) your relationship with your family(because they are you first and foremost responsibility here on earth), 2) your health (dead men don’t work), 3) your integrity(which is your guiding principle and the pillar of your success), and lastly 4) your relationship and standing with God (because He gave you the success in the first place and may He not take it back).

True success is never a walk in the park, not even when you seem to have reached the pinnacle (as a matter of fact, success is harder to sustain than to obtain). It is not for the chicken-hearted because it requires strength (both inner and physical), hard work and all the discipline, dedication and diligence you can muster for you will definitely encounter some pitfalls now and again on the path. Sometimes enough to discourage us or even cause us to do a ‘180’, but they are only mostly a test of our patience, endurance, courage, determination and wisdom that will invariably boost and polish our success.

Success does not necessarily mean that one has reached the end of the journey. For someone who has a range of goals (either short or long term), the attainment of each goal is a success on its own. Success is also not a shot in the dark nor an instant thing; it requires diligence and making the right choices. Like one author puts it, “we have learned long ago that most successful people rarely get to where they want to go by making radical 90- or 180- degree change. Rather, they take one simple step after another in the right direction, make minor course adjustments over time, institute small changes, and follow a series of less-than-earth-shattering decisions. And it all starts with a few small choices made in the right direction” (Jerry Foster, 2004).

True success is very rewarding. Along with it comes peace, fulfillment, satisfaction, contentment and joy (not just happiness), and can only be attained in the pursuit of one’s life purpose. This is because life without purpose- no matter how much wealth, power and fame is accumulated will invariably lead to work, sweat, toiling and frustration without any meaningful effectiveness or satisfaction.

Tips to Success
1. discover/identify your purpose in life
2. give it all it takes
3. be focused, dedicated, disciplined, and diligent
4. learn more about it(get a cert, a degree, read books)
5. avoid distractions
6. be optimistic
7. enjoy doing it, and finally
8. have faith in God