Success Beyond Wealth: Redefining Prosperity in Life’s Journey
Unveiling the True Measure of a Meaningful Life
What is success, and what does it mean to be successful in life? This is a question I have pondered for a long time. It started during my adolescence when I realized my family’s social status within the society I found myself. I always wondered why some individuals achieved great success while others barely survived. In my younger years, I had a mild resentment towards my father though he was quite a relatively successful man, I wished for him to be more successful. I questioned myself why he wasn’t. Was he indolent in his youthful years? How foolish could I be to judge a parent, yet no one could stop me from asking these questions, in the inner recesses of my being I was alone questioning every concept I conceived. However, I now realize that my adolescent mind quantified success solely based on material gains and riches. I associated a successful life with comfort, ease, and getting everything one desired.
In my early 30s now, I can confidently say that my thinking was flawed. What truly defines success? What constitutes a successful life? I realize that success means different things to each individual. Deep within our beings, we all have our conceptions of success, and based on these conceptions, we pursue certain goals and live our lives in a specific way. Many believe that success and happiness have a linear correlation, assuming that true happiness is difficult to attain unless one amasses a certain amount of wealth to satisfy their extravagant desires. How can an individual living in abject poverty, or even mild poverty, belonging to the lower strata of society not believe that having more will equate to a better sense of well-being? After all, they witness the wealthy flaunting their riches, feeding off the envious gazes and admiration of those outside that sphere.
In our modern, highly connected society, it is easy to be influenced by the aforementioned definition of success. Who am I to dispute anyone’s self-conception of success? I can only describe my own experiences and what I have learned in the few years I have spent on this planet.
Foremost, success does not equate to happiness. The only thing it equates to is comfort. Happiness is something entirely different, with each person holding an innate concept of what it means to them, as solid as a rock.
The realization of my mortality has shaped my conception of success. For me, success is fulfillment. If I were to categorize the different aspects of life, I would identify three key areas: Spiritual, Family, and Career. In all these spheres, the keyword is fulfillment.
These concepts may seem straightforward and easy to understand, but let me delve deep into each subcategory of my conceptualization of success.
Spiritual: While living our lives, we often forget that we are all mortal beings, destined to one day leave this earth and return to the nothingness from which we sprouted — a mystery that even science has failed to unravel and one that various worldly dogmas have attempted to solve. To exist as sentient beings, we must come to terms with our existence. To bear existence, we must strive to be one with our environment or the universe. Accepting our mortality takes precedence for me. Every day, I remind myself that I will die — so why fuss so much? Why harbor hatred or anger? Why care so deeply? This is not a call for passivity in life, but a reminder not to take things too seriously. By understanding and constantly reminding myself of my mortality, I find it easier to exist in this world, regardless of the tragedies that befall me. After all, without them, life would not be as meaningful. Accepting my propensity for hatred, violence, and chaos, as well as my own vices and evil thoughts, helps me find solace in knowing myself — the unseen part of me where the formation of these words emerge. This oneness we all share enables me to love my fellow humans, despite the injustice, hatred, and betrayal that exists. I strive to love, even if that love is not reciprocated. It is more bearable for me to have love as a constant within my psyche while responding to every encounter with a fellow human than to live in a mental space where a small misunderstanding leads to harboring violent thoughts that could easily manifest into violent acts.
Family: I always keep a vivid picture in my mind — an image of myself at 80 years old, sitting beside my wife, surrounded by my children and grandchildren in a picture frame. I look at each one of them and proudly say to myself, “I have raised men and women who will make this earth a better place.” This balance is essential for striving towards a symbiotic relationship and living a peaceful, meaningful life — a life with someone I can call my best friend. Someone I will accept faults and betrayals from when the time comes. Someone with whom I can share common values, yet still disagrees and agrees. And in my later years, my heart filled with a sense of fulfillment, knowing that I did my best with what I had and made a positive impact.
Career: I often ask myself, “How much more can I achieve? What are the limits to what I can accomplish in this life, considering the family I was born into, my nationality, the education I received, and my current state of intellectual development?” One keyword resonates in my mind: “Impossible is nothing.” I firmly believe that there are no limits to what I can achieve in this life, except for the ones I set for myself. I am convinced that opportunities are not limited to those that I cognize. Embracing the notion of “not knowing” serves as my guiding lamppost, leading me to seek fulfilling work opportunities. I ask myself, “Do I feel fulfilled with what I am doing? Do I wake up every day eager to go to work, ready to dive into the tasks of the day?” These are the elements upon which I base my career decisions.
If you have noticed, my conception of success does not mention material gains or riches. It’s not that I don’t care about them, but they don’t dictate my actions. It’s ironic to reason in this way, but the spiritual dimension of my being impels me to seek fulfillment first. By living this way on the brink of a long and arduous journey into adulthood, I look forward to the future with excitement rather than dread. I know that whatever comes next, my soul will be content.
