How we measure "success" reveals what we are living for.
Success means different things to different people. How we define success is significant, because it points out what we think is most important in life. Nobody goes through life trying to lose -- we are all trying to succeed (to live our lives the best possible way). The way we define success will shape our goals and our attitudes. An unhealthy culture defines success as having more and being more than others. A healthy culture defines success as doing good for others, making a contribution to family, friends, community, and world, and growing in faith.
Success Level 1: Material
Having pleasures and possessions
The successful life is measured by the accumulation of
possessions and material wealth. This level is defined as having nice
things and living comfortably.
Indulging in creature comforts, food, wine, shopping, and the
other Epicurean delights constitute a life well lived. "The person with the most toys wins" is a fitting
motto.
If we love only for this level, we will start to think that
success means having more – and end up thinking that anybody who is poor or
disadvantaged cannot be successful.
We will overlook some of the most important
things in life, like family, friendship, community and faith.
Success Level 2: Ego
Being admired, powerful, a winner
Success is
seen as winning, control, power, achievement and popularity.
If we lived
only for this level, we will believe that success is measured by where we stand
compared to everyone else.
We can get
caught up in a comparison game of having more and being more than other people.
We will miss opportunities to make a difference in the world and to do good for
others.
Success Level 3: Contribution
Loving others and doing good in the world
The successful life is optimizing the difference we can make in
the world, with our family, friends, community, work, or church.
When we seek success in this level, working for the good of
others, (quality) relationships are strengthened, (deep) character built, priorities
set straight and sincerity of our commitments. We can cooperate with one
another, and rejoice in the good that others accomplish.
No matter how attractive this view of success is, it has an
Achilles’ heel.
It makes us yearn for an ideal of Love, Truth, Goodness, and
Beauty that we cannot produce, and that others cannot produce for us.
It leaves us open to disappointment, frustration, dashed
romanticism, and dashed idealism.
Still this level of
success must be directed towards the next level of success or else it tempts us
to think we can do it all ourselves, over emphasize our accomplishment and fall
back into (Level 2) ego attitude, leaving behind humility, gentleness kindness
and compassion.
Success Level 4: Universal
Surrendering to God
The fourth level of success counteracts these problems because it brings a universal perspective to the foreground. If you have faith, you might call it God’s perspective.
Our contribution in making a difference stems from a commitment to grow in faith.
Our concern is with what has ultimate, unconditional, and eternal significance—God and His will.
This is only possible with God’s grace to lead us to where we cannot go ourselves.
This level clearly lets us understand that God intends good for the whole world, and that He’s the only one who can follow through on that promise. Our success comes from following Him. The more we surrender to Him, the more successful we are. Even when we fail, we trust He is able to make good come out of it.
The above summarises the four level of success in the book, Healing the Culture: A Commonsense Philosophy of Happiness, Freedom, and the Life Issues (by Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D.) To read more and download other resources, visit www.healingtheculture.com or www.lifeprinciples.net
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